


RW3Y: All Fairy Tales End; Hunt For Watts

by SixUnderOneXSix



Series: RW3Y: AFTE (RWBY 3.0) [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, RWBY 3.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-10 11:01:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 36,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14735717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SixUnderOneXSix/pseuds/SixUnderOneXSix
Summary: RW3Y, the amazing art by Dishwasher1910 who has given me permission to write this, after the Salem Crisis RWBY went a many myriad of directions with their lives, but maintained close ties with each other and their friends. This is their story, their continuation, the end to their fairytale.The Hunt is on.





	1. Prologue

_ R.W.3.Y.: All Fairy Tales End _

_ Prologue; Story Begins _

Characters : Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long, etc.

Ships : White Rose, Bumblebee 

Description :

RW3Y, the amazing art by Dishwasher1910 who has given me permission to write this, after the Salem Crisis RWBY went a many myriad of directions with their lives, but maintained close ties with each other and their friends. This is their story, their continuation, the end to their fairytale.

 

“ _ It is up to you to take the first step. _ ” - Ozpin

 

Kingdom of Vale, S.R.E.D. Forward Operations Base

“Ruby Rose!” The screech rings like a Banshee’s howl down the white hallway. Glass windows to the left shuddering from the sound of it, and the walls bouncing it towards her. At least that’s Ruby saw as happening before going wide eyed at the charging Schnee Specialist. 

 

White hair fluttering as wind rushes past her, her speed scattering the papers and poor associates between the Specialist and her target. Ruby knows she should probably run, it’s what she’s best at, and it’s what nearly anyone would do in her position, but she’s rooted to the spot, staring at those piercing crystalline blue eyes. Their pupils contracted and angry conveying the murderous intent of their user. Ruby could feel the petals rolling off her in waves as her Semblance responded to her pounding heart as her wide eyes dart from door to door, trying to find an exit as she runs out of time. 

 

It’s an interesting concept for a speedster like herself, to be running out of time. Yet here she was, effectively staring straight down the barrel of a fired gun, if guns could fire Schnee wrath, and simply letting the bullet come right at her. Yang would probably make some snide remark, making the situation ten times worse and sending Weiss into full enraged Schnee mode, of course from the tension in Weiss’ neck and tight line her full lips had formed it was possible she was already… wait when did she get so clo-

Cut off by the sudden impact of being tackled by someone only three quarters her height Ruby squawks unintelligibly as a weight moving at the speed of sound slams into her gut. Her breath is shoved from her lungs and her mechanical legs can’t hold the up to the force. Ruby faintly feels gravity tugging at her, and then suddenly she’s on the ground. Her eyes blurry and focused on the fluorescent lights above her, a slight dull pain emanates from the back of her head, but she’s still trying to understand exactly why she’s on the ground in the first place. Then Weiss, eyebrows furrowed, nostrils flared and water rimming her eyes flares down at her.

 

If one were to take a look at the pair’s current position there’d be questions about Weiss being court martialed for suggestive behaviour against a subordinate and colleague, but the members and soldiers of Atlas’ S.R.E.D. Had learned one very important lesson about working for Weiss Schnee, there was a list of times and places for questions, and that certainly didn’t include while the officer had her legs straddling Agent Rose and her arms holding her body over the top of the younger woman. And so, without a single word every agent, soldier, and associate simply passed by as of this were an everyday occurrence, which given Ruby’s recent return to active duty it might as well have been.

 

“ _ Ruby. Rose _ .” The words were enough to send a shiver down the red and black clad woman’s spine and forced her to gulp quite loudly. Her eyes still wide, those silver pools searching for any intentions hidden in Weiss’ eyes. “You have just returned to active duty as an S.R.E.D. Field Agent, and you start your  _ first _ operation back by not only  _ refusing _ to follow my orders but, going so far as to  _ countermand _ them. If I didn’t know any better I’d have thought you and Yang had switched bodies.”

 

“W-w-well you s-see Weiss…” Ruby gulped again, sweat began bead across her forehead and her brows scrunched together, she bit her lip, chewing on it. Weiss straddling her partner and best friend couldn’t take it. After all these years Ruby was the only one who could melt Weiss’ frozen anger with a look. Weiss bit her own lip, trying to bottle up her laughter as she watched Ruby, literally, squirm beneath while coming up with an excuse, an excuse Weiss had already heard a thousand times before… the same one that had cost Ruby her legs. The water around Weiss’ eyes thickens she bites down on her lip harder, her chest and breathing starting to shudder as she looks at Ruby’s face… but before Weiss could begin to blubber over the past, getting sucked back into the stream of memories that haunted her sleepless nights a quiet cough sounds from above them. It was Weiss’ turn to lose cohesion as she looked up at her elder sister.

 

Brigadier General Winter Schnee, her Snow White hair pulled into a tight bun atop her head, with some of it covering her face. The single crystalline eye staring at Weiss and Ruby, her eyebrow raising only a fraction and the corner of her lips quirk upwards. Her shoulders lower and her head tilts to get a new angle on the situation.

 

“Am I…  _ interrupting _ something, my  _ dear _ sister?” Winter’s amuses tone questions. It was amusing to say the least. Winter had been watching her sister command the Spec-Ops team Ruby was leading from her Command and Control Centre near the heart of S.R.E.D.’s operations base. Had it been any other officer, or specialist under her command Winter would have filled out the harassment paperwork herself, regardless of the afflicted’s wishes. As it stood, knowing about the peculiar relationship Weiss shared with her partner Winter simply allowed a slight breezy chuckle to fill the rising tension in the air. 

 

A lesser officer would have run, a colleague would have assumed Winter had lost her mind, but Weiss knew different. Joy was hard pressed to come by these days, with the Grimm still encroaching on hardwon territory and The Liberation Front making progress against SDC and civilian targets of interest there seemed to be a line drawn across the world, and the only question was who would cross it first. Weiss knew her sister was laughing, letting herself enjoy the moment, it was a rare spectacle for the younger Schnee, and a small, if well earned, pride entered her eyes. Winter refused to open like this to anyone, and yet somehow after Ruby whittling away at her and the darkest days of the Salem Crisis had done what Ironwood and all of Weiss’ insistent perstering couldn’t, it had set Winter free from the demons she had held within her own soul. The elder woman would never dare to reveal this side to anyone but family and friends, and would likely kill anyone if word of it got out. To Weiss though it was a sign that she’d made the right decision. Winter’s mirth slowly fades, of course there hadn’t been much let out to begin with, and that hard set expression of a military leader takes right back over. 

 

Ruby still stuck beneath Weiss looks from her friend and commander to the reset general standing in an angle that made it hard to see her. She was quickly set free as Weiss’ cheeks reddened enough to give the cloak Ruby wore a run for its money and Weiss got up. Ruby didn’t move, waiting on bated breath to see if the… tirade would continue. 

 

Weiss simply tugged at the hem of her short skirt, something Yang still gave her and Ruby crap about to this day. Brushing away at imaginary dust Weiss clears her throat into her hand and her back goes rigid like a stone wall. She snaps a quick, robotic like salute to Winter and then holds a hand towards Ruby.

 

“N-Now as I was saying Agent Rose. You’re conduct while admirable, went against the direct orders of your superior officer, what do you have to say for yourself?” Weiss’ eyes darted between Ruby and Winter, her cheeks still carrying a heavy scarlet tint that had yet to die down. Ruby, for her part had taken to heart her partner’s lessons on etiquette and military protocol. Accepting the hand and standing about as still as she could, bouncing ever so slightly on the balls of her feet, Ruby exchanges looks between the two Schnee sisters.  _ How in Remnant did you get here Ruby Rose? Standing between Weiss and Winter Schnee, both technically your superiors even though you’re the go to field commander? Where else would I be? _

 

“My actions while… regrettable, and neglectful of superior saved millions of Lien of S.R.E.D. equipment Colonel Schnee, had it not been for me we would have lost the entire Artillery battalion, instead we only lost a single battery and… and a quarter of its crew…” Ruby whispers the last part, her words barely heard over the resumed din of noise in the hallway. Head downcast and eyes ghosting with tears Ruby suddenly shoots her head up, ready to vehemently defend her position she instead sees something else. Weiss has water pooling around her eyes, and her hands are squeezed tightly around each other, knuckles white.

 

“It’s okay Ruby… you can’t save everyone, no matter how much we may want to,” Weiss answers placing her hand on the younger woman’s shoulder, and from the weak smile on Ruby’s face Weiss knows she did what’s best. “Now Brigadier General Schnee, you came to discuss a mission involving Ruby and I?”

 

“Yes, though I feel it would be best we continue this discussion in… private, Colonel Schnee,” Winter says and turns on the heel of her foot with military precision and begins taking long strides towards Weiss’ office leaving the pair in her wake. Turning to look at each other confused they quickly begin walking when a slight cough before them reminds them to keep moving.

 

Kingdom of Menagerie, White Fang Council Room

Blake groaned as she looked at the council of chapter leaders. Reforming the White Fang after the hell that had been Adam’s leadership had been no easy task, a task that only grew in importance and as a headache with every passing day. Days like today made Blake yearn for her and her team’s younger years, running across the continents of Remnant trying to beat the wicked Salem, but those were things of teenagers, not adults. Blake’s ears perk up at the lack of sound in the room, it was deathly quiet, like everyone was frozen in shock. Raising her head and looking out Blake is greeted by all of the holographic, and some flesh and blood, chapter leaders staring at her.

 

“I apologise, I had a late night last night. You were speaking about the S.R.E.D. problem? And wondering exactly how the White Fang and Menagerie should react to it?” Blake’s tone is inquisitive, and sharp as a scalpel, she could hardly afford to waste time at the moment, not with her next meeting coming up. 

 

“S.R.E.D. has moved Forward Operations Bases into every Kingdom and on every continent of Remnant. I know that the Kingdom’s Council agreed S.R.E.D. was abiding by all laws and that it was being carefully maintained but-”

 

“But what Leader Renko? S.R.E.D. is now the primary line of defense between the Grimm and all of us. I have already stated the Colonel Schnee and I have our differences of opinion on the matter of S.R.E.D.’s morals, but I can promise that their objectives are above reproach. Colonel Schnee will never risk civilian lives, Faunus or Human, to attain any of her goals,” Blake’s voice barks, silencing the elder lizard Faunus, who’s tail swishes quickly from side to side. “I trust my former teammate, she may be an Atlesian Specialist, but she is a Huntress first and she will never forget that. For now S.R.E.D. is off the table of discussion, if events or actions cause you pause or discomfort talk to me personally and I will bring it up to the Council again if need be. Now are there any other topics of interest to discuss?”

 

“I would wonder about the negotiations between Vale and our own organisation after The Liberation Front’s most recent attacks?” Velvet Scarlatina questions. Blake bows her head once again, bringing a hand to her forehead and massaging her temples gingerly. Velvet’s eyes drop slightly.

 

“The Liberation Front has once again escaped our grasp. I refuse to kill them outright and even with the help of trained Hunters and coordination between Atlesian Military units and our own Search groups we have… been unable to find their most recent base. I wish there was more to report, but sadly I do not have anything else. Now if you’ll happily excuse me I have another meeting I need to prep for.”

 

The Chapter Leaders all get up and leave, the room being filled the sound of scooting chairs and some grunts. They file out just as orderly as they had come in only… Blake took a look at her watch let her head fall onto the large oak table before her.

 

“You know, resting your eyes never hurt anyone Blake,” Her ears shot up like periscopes from the depths and her head quickly followed, her amber eyes giddy with delight at the voice. Standing in the door frame was her father, the big hard as a rock muscled Cat Faunus rubbed his greying beard and smiled, the lines showing on his face in the yellowing lights of the room.

 

“Dad!” Rushing out of her chair, all thoughts of class and manners tossed aside, Blake hugged her arms tightly around her father’s waist. Even now in his old age and her adulthood he still towered over nearly everyone, especially his daughter. “I knew Winter wanted to talk to me so I didn’t think I’d have a chance to come say hi while I was here!”

 

“My little girl, I’ll always make time for you, even if you can’t. Remember what I told you when I passed the mantle of White Fang Leader to you?” 

 

“No matter how many steps you take, no matter how far away you are, despite the distances, the blood, and the politics. You are a Belladonna, and I will always be here for you,” Blake whispers, her lips pulled taunt as she stares up at her dad like he was the wisest man on the fact of Remnant, which in fact he might just be.

 

Ghira Belladonna had aged well, his hair was starting to go grey, and his muscles were still as tough as they had been when he’d resumed control of the White Fang at the end of the Salem Crisis. His age showed in other ways though, he wasn’t as fast as he used to be, his booming voice didn’t quite make it through the halls anymore, and his words tended to fail him more than he’d care to admit. All in all, for a man who’d spent much of his young life as an activist, fighting Grimm, and playing politics he was still very much in good health.

 

“Now how about I walk you to your next meeting, I feel like your mother and I never see you anymore.”

 

“Of course you don’t dad, you left me to take care of The Fang for you, and to run Menagerie. It’s all I could do to get you to at least represent us to the other Kingdoms on the Vytal Council.” Ghira looks at his daughter, studying her growing worry lines, and the bags underneath her eyes. How much she’d taken on at once, it was no wonder she was struggling to keep it all together sometimes. She clung to him like a life preserver, and he was fine with that, it was nice to feel needed these days, when words seemed to be doing less of the fighting.

 

“It’ll be okay darling, whatever it is Schnee wants you to do, it’ll be okay. I’ll watch after The Fang while you’re gone, but do me a favour and bring that Wukong boy with you? I can’t handle his antics anymore, he visits us far too often.” Blake just smiles at her father’s discomfort. Ghira may have never really liked Sun, but he at least grew to tolerate him, which was good considering Blake had asked the Monkey Faunus to watch over her parents personally.

 

“I won’t make any promises dad,” she answers, pulling him slightly tighter and leaning her head on his chest as they walked. He laughed, and Blake listened closely to his powerful beating heart thundering lungs, it felt good to have him close and feel his life… it gave her strength while  _ she  _ was away.

 

Kingdom of Vacou, unknown location

Yang Xiao Long felt the wind whipping her hair around behind her as she pushed the throttle on her hoverbike,  _ Bumblebee _ , and blasting off across the scorching desert at an even faster pace. The arms around her waist suddenly cling harder to her, and she has to bite back a laugh or risk getting sand in her mouth. Her jacket was buttoned up over her chest stopping sand getting into annoyingly awkward places and her sunglasses were keeping out the glare and dust from her eyes. Her face felt like it was being bitten by the tiny insignificant grains of sand striking it as she flew over kilometres of land in seconds.  _ Oh how she loved this thing, Weiss had even footed the bill, saying something about making certain her agents, which definitely didn’t include Yang, were always best equipped. Yang saw through the excuse, it was just a way to justify spending military money on a friend to buy an amazing gift. _ Another squeeze across her abs brings her back out of her thoughts and into the now. 

 

Easing off the throttle and coming to a painfully slow stop Yang looks over her shoulder at Sun. The Monkey Faunus had offered his services to Yang when he heard she was looking for Bandit groups. His tail, only half the length it had been, and his arms were covered in scars. He still wore the open button up, but the colour had changed, he’d switched out the white for black, it contrasted with his skin and made the scars show up even more, highlighted like words on a page. His bleached blonde hair had almost completely re-grown, kept in small braids, over the scar that stretched from the centre of his forehead all the way around his head, covering about three quarters of his scalp which it runs over. Metal plates are strapped to his shoulders and it looks like he’s let himself get a little scruffy on the jawline.

 

“You sure this is the place Sun?” Yang grunts, her thighs were sore, felt like she’d been riding for hours and the sweat from Vacou’s heat hadn’t helped either, neither had the sand. Her mood was deteriorating fast and she was having trouble dealing with Sun’s latest set of issues, not that they were even his fault.

 

“Yah, the pillars for our First Year Relic hunt for Shade Academy should be right over there, and the reports said the bandit camp’s remains weren’t too far off from it. They probably set up here because Grimm levels have been at an all time low since the Vacou Assault…” Sun’s voice slowly lowers and he looks around again, like there was something he’d suddenly forgotten. “Yang? Where’s Neptune?”

 

Yang knew it was coming, she’d originally tried to keep Sun from finding out she was here on a hunch. Current condition or not Sun’s memories had been coming and going long before Adam had gotten his hands on him. She fought back the water in her eyes as she kept a level gaze with Sun. His eyebrows were raised and he simply waited, he’d walked far enough away that he probably couldn’t see the tiny pools of tears on her lashes.

 

“Sun… N-Neptune isn’t with us,” Yang stutters at first buts cuts it off, she doesn’t want to have to tell him again, it broke her heart to see a friend in so much pain.

 

“But I thought we were on patrol? All three of us? Salem might have an entire horde of Grimm just over that ridge, we can’t let him walk into it!” Sun’s voice was raising in volume and his arms started moving animatedly. He turned and was about to keep walking when Yang strode forward. Placing her metal hand on his shoulder she stopped him dead.

 

“Sun…. Neptune had to go back early, we called Ruby and told her to expect him back early remember?” Yang’s voice is shallow and her eyes just beg him to go with it. Sun doesn’t completely understand why Neptune would just leave while they were on patrol, it wasn’t like him at all. “We have to head back too, Grimm are converging on the area and Ruby isn’t willing to risk any of us out here tonight. Just hop on and we’ll head back to Shade.”

 

As they walk back towards  _ Bumblebee _ and Yang climbs on Sun stands there staring into the vast dunes.

 

“It happened again… didn’t it?”

 

“... Yah…”

 

“Third time today… When was I?” Sun turns looking at Yang, but this time his expression was somber, his eyes not meeting hers.

 

“Right before it happened… I tried to get you to stay in the city… but you know how insistent you are sometimes. Come on Sun, let’s head back I’ve got a meeting Winter called me for and I’m certain Blake would like to know we’re both still kicking,” Yang motions to the seat behind her on the hoverbike.

 

“Yang? How do you put up with it? The stress, the horror, any of it?”

 

“I remember that all we have is each other, and that when push comes to shove we’re better off standing side by side than we would ever be alone. I learned that the hard way when Blake left, it got worse after Ruby too. I never told the rest of my team but… there were days I simply didn’t want to go on. All I ever had was my spirit Sun, my ability to be strong and protect those I love… Adam took that security away with a single sword stroke on the night that changed my life.” Yang isn’t meeting Sun’s eyes now, instead she too stares off into the expansive desert of Vacou.

 

“What about Raven?”

 

“I’ve waited this long, she can wait a little longer.”

 

Kingdom of Vale, S.R.E.D. Forward Operating Base, Main Meeting Room

Weiss and Ruby exchange looks as holographic images begin to fill the empty chairs along the table. Winter is seated in firm and hard looking office chair at the opposite end of the table from her sister. She can’t help but notice the way Ruby lingers next to Weiss, choosing to stand to the Colonel’s right instead of taking a seat in one of the soft cushy chairs next the younger Schnee. 

 

Ruby’s eyes dart between Weiss and Winter, while the pair seemed to have no power struggle between them the rooms that contained them seemed fraught with tension, like the unaired grievances and slights had taken hold and clogged the atmosphere. Weiss took off her, in Ruby and Yang’s opinion, ridiculous hat, taking the extra time to straighten her hair out slightly. Ruby never could help herself, running a finger through Weiss’ silvery locks had just become a soothing habit. Not that Weiss minded, the pair had grown extremely close over the course of the Salem Crisis, add to that the near constant working together and Ruby’s recent injuries and there was no surprise as to the two becoming more connected. Weiss now secretly loved Ruby’s annoying quirks, from twirling locks of Weiss’ hair to some of her own, the binges on cookies, and hiding away, something she figured might have happened much earlier had they the time to get to know each other that well. Just as Weiss had learned Ruby’s stunts, so too had Ruby figured out Weiss’; the Schnee didn’t yell because she was angry at you, she was afraid, to this day some of the tension between Winter and Weiss lingers from Winter’s decision to leave. Weiss also tended to fluster easily, still not completely at ease that she’d gotten close enough to someone that they could read her like an open book. With nearly all the holograms accounted for though, the stuffy air seemed to slip away and the atmosphere, despite being filled by the greetings of Hunters was somehow calm.

 

“As you are all no doubt wondering why you have been called here, I shall make it apparent without delay,” Winter states. Standing from her chair and pressing a button hidden in the tables finely carved wooden panelling a projector in the centre activates, and the glass windows to the hallway are shuttered by metal plates. “Before I begin I will say this now, this operation is off the books and not for the faint of heart, if you wish to back out, do so now, no one will think less of you.”

 

None of the holograms disappeared. So Winter continued as she paced the room.

 

“Three days ago Arthur Watts, Doctor and chief scientist for Salem escaped custody from Mistrailian authorities in charge of his incarceration. It would appear that he engineered his breakout from within the walls of the SDC. The White Fang Agent Ilia Amitola, advisor to Director Belladonna, and Ironwood’s Special Investigations Unit are looking for the connection already. I have assembled you here in order to find, and with any luck capture or kill Dr. Arthur Watts. If news of his escape breaks before we have regained custody of him we will have panic, only increasing the number of Grimm attacks we’re having in trying to defend our current holdings. This team will operate under the command of S.R.E.D. Operative Agent Rose, as she has seniority in Field Command positions. As far as objectives go, there is only one; bring Watts back, dead or alive. Colonel Schnee will serve as second for this mission and will begin prepping assets at the required facilities. Yang Xiao Long, I hope we can count on you for this one, I’ve already booked passage for you to Mistral and a ticket for Mr. Wukong back to Menagerie. Director Belladonna your presence has also been requested both due to the high Faunus population in Mistral villages but also due to a possible Liberation Front activities funding the escape. Everyone else I’ve bought out your current contracts and found Hunters to replace you, you are requested to return to your respective Home Points or S.R.E.D. Operating Bases to await further instructions. I will not let him slip through our grasp, if we have to scour the entire surface of Remnant we  _ will _ find Arthur Watts. Are there any questions?” Winter finishes, her breathing is even, and her posture impeccable, but her fire filled eyes betray the seeming calm of her state. Not a single hand raises, the die had been cast, with Watts back on the board we were no longer dealing with the Grimm like pawns, one of Salem’s Bishops had returned and that meant anyone who got in the way was fair game. No one in this room had moral quandaries about putting Watts in the ground, not a single one.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. Forward Operating Base

The soldier stumbled onto the base, blood leaking out of the gaps in his armour. His legs are like weights and it takes more of his energy to pull himself forward with every step he takes. The guards are converging on him, their weapons raised, vaguely in the background he hears shouting but the words are foreign, nothing makes sense. His head begins to pound, like a hammer repeatedly striking his skull. Bam, crash, bam, crash. The cycle repeats and finally he simply collapses, head in his hands then a voice, startlingly clear bellows in his ears.

 

“DIE!” It shouts and his body explodes, his pain melts, fading into nothing as he is torn apart into millions of pieces, taking with him to two closest guards. He hopes in vain they will forgive him, the voice was too powerful, he couldn’t fight it.

 

_ A/N: _

_ Thank you so much to Dishwasher for giving me permission to use the idea and artwork they created. I hope you all like this so far. This is only a taste, the ultimate end game is to have main story lines with interconnected short ones between the large plot installments, allowing me to focus more on building up this amazing world and the characters that Dishwasher came up with. Note that some of these are written before certain arts were released that is the main reason for any inconsistencies, otherwise I'm doing my best to keep with what the art has. If you haven't checked out their art go do it NOW It is absolutely amazing, anyway see you next time, the plan is to have this be huge updates for plot, with small snippets that may be non-sequential added in from time to time. I'll try not to make it to hard. _

 


	2. The Fox and The Hound Part I

_ R.W.3.Y.: All Fairy Tales End _

_ Chapter 1; the Fox and the Hound (Hunt for Watts) [Part I] _

Characters : Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long, etc.

Ships : White Rose, Bumblebee 

Description :

RW3Y, the amazing art by Dishwasher1910 who has given me permission to write this, after the Salem Crisis RWBY went a many myriad of directions with their lives, but maintained close ties with each other and their friends. This is their story, their continuation, the end to their fairytale.

 

_“My thoughts exactly. Even without her new power, it should have been effortless.”_ -Dr. Arthur Watts

 

Kingdom of Vale, S.R.E.D. Forward Operating Base, Main Meeting Room

“So it’s agreed. Colonel Schnee and Agent Rose will meet Huntress Xiao Long and Fang Director Belladonna at the Mistral S.R.E.D. FOB where a specialised S.R.E.D. Agent will brief you on Watt’s more…  _ different _ experiments during the Crisis.”

 

No one said a word. They didn’t need too, the mission was simple. Ilia and Klein would take an indepth look into how exactly Jacques got his hands on Watts’ Prison Contract, and how exactly Watts’ was given a Work Contract in the first place. The rest of them would hunt down Watts without remorse. Weiss stood as the last of the holograms dissipated and her hands curled tightly into fists, her knuckles white. She stares at her hands, her head spinning at the betrayal her father might have wrought simply for a gain, for the danger that her real family was once more- 

 

Weiss’ train of thought was derailed as a calloused and rough, but lean and hand covers her’s encircling it and intertwining their fingers. Weiss knew that the slender, tan skinned arm belonged to her friend, her best friend, but somehow the touch didn’t seem like friendship… it held something more important. Weiss’ own porcelain skin was such a stark contrast she could see why Ruby had come to call her an Angel of Destruction. Weiss turned her icy orbs up, following that muscled arm up to its owner. Ruby for her part had down turned lips and those silver pools were as soft as the crimson cloak she wore. Weiss’ own face lost its stern countenance, her hard sharpened gaze and tight lips smoothing out alongside the creases of her face muscles.

 

“How many years?” Weiss questions, her voice no louder than a whisper. She still remembered the day she saw Ruby fall, the first time she’d ever worried whether or not Ruby would come home to her family. To quote one of Ironwood’s soldiers, ‘Battles leave scars, some you can’t see.’

 

“Doesn’t matter Weiss.” Weiss feels that hand tightening, but not like steel, instead it was warm and simply  _ there _ . Ruby’s presence did more for Weiss’ nerves than she would ever dare tell the other woman, to admit that might be tantamount to…  _ don’t go there…. _ Weiss’ cheeks reddened and she quickly ducked her head back down as less than public thoughts began to cycle through her head. “Hey come on Weiss, we have a Viper to catch and Winter needs to see us off before she can take over S.R.E.D. for the time being.”

 

Nodding her head, careful to keep it lowered so Ruby wouldn’t see the crimson tint upon her face she gives a reassuring squeeze to Ruby’s hand. The younger woman slowly lets their fingers go and clicks towards the door, every echoing step stabbing Weiss’ heart with guilt. Weiss let her eyes rise up and she nearly sputtered as she watched Ruby…  _ swagger _ , out of the office, before turning her head ever so slightly and giving the elder woman a very coy wink. The blush Weiss had been trying to control returned in full force as she hid her face behind her hand while simultaneously attempting to grab her hat off the table and use it as a shield.

 

“Come on Weiss!” Ruby sing songs and opens the door for her partner. “Grimm don’t wait for us, so pack up that hat and let's move!” Ruby’s eyes are mirthful and she borrows Yang’s cheshire grin, which fit far too well with her body and face.

 

“I swear by all Dust on Remnant,” Weiss mutters beneath her breath and puts on her hat, subconsciously swiping her hands over her dress and coat straightening out any imperceptible kinks in the cloth before strutting quickly as her legs could carry her past Ruby. She never would get used to how Ruby had blossomed into a woman, that she’d lost her height advantage, but worst was how much Ruby was still capable of being the same cookie loving monster slayer despite all that had happened. Weiss needed Ruby to open up to her, to give her someone other than Yang to talk with. The younger Schnee thought of all of this while keeping the mind boggling pace while in heels.

 

Her legs carried her to Winter’s waiting Viper Fast Assault Vehicle. Though Bullheads were by far more roomy and comfortable when travelling long distances, like for instance Vale to Mistral, Vipers had a different aspect going for them. Vipers weren’t known as F.A.V.s for nothing, using the way Ruby’s Semblance seemed to warp reality to fit her needs Vipers had been built from the ground up by Weiss’ most dedicated military minds, and what had resulted had quickly become the Kingdom’s preferred QRF troop deployer. Vipers could travel at speeds only slightly less than Ruby could on one of her off days, making trips between kingdoms far faster than the days of old. The pair of S.R.E.D. Agents would probably be in Mistral around early next morning if they left immediately and accepted the annoying cramps of an eighteen hour, or more, flight.

 

A hiss espaces from the Viper’s opening hatch and Weiss grabs the handle to pull herself in, but she stops short, her breath catching in her throat. The inside of Winter’s ship was luxurious. There no hints of combat webbing or crash seating that were normally bolted to the ship’s bulkheads, instead the seats were made of a fine cream leather, no doubt soft to the touch. The harsh bright lights and dark metal switches had been replaced for warm ceiling pane based lights and simple brushed metal coverings. The bulkheads, usually a drab gunmetal grey were instead adorned with beautiful flowing designs of snowflakes caught in a breeze, the backdrop a calming light grey. Weiss can feel the pressure to people’s eyes drilling into her from behind.

 

“You see  _ little _ sister, you may control the most powerful ship in the entire Atlesian Air Fleet, and are most well-funded division, but rank has its perks. I’ll let you borrow  _ The Schneeblatt _ to reach Mistral in time, plus  _ The Edelweiss _ isn’t the most subtle of ships and we want this kept low key,” Winter muses, the corner of her lips rising into a small smile as she watches her sister gawk at her ship’s interior. Grunting something about always one-upping her Weiss climbs aboard and then offers Ruby her hand.

 

Winter watched the exchange with interest, it was no well kept secret that her sister had formed an unbreakable bond with Miss Rose, but their most recent interactions may have altered the pair’s trajectory. Weiss was never going to let Ruby bear the brunt of anything alone again, even when she knew the other woman was capable. Ruby for her part took it in stride, accepting Weiss’ hand and coming aboard.  _ The Schneeblatt _ took off and upon reaching minimum safe distance simply ceased to appear on the visual spectrum, like it had winked out of existence like Miss Rose tended to when she teleported.

 

Kingdom of Vacuo, Main Airship Port

Yang didn’t just walk, she strut. The buxom blonde brawler had picked up one or two habits from Weiss, and one was the Schnee’s infuriating strut. Weiss had never been one to use her body to get her leverage, but that didn’t mean she didn’t know what she had. Yang took to it like a dog to a bone, and before long it was one more tool in her chest when it came to getting her way without being overly rough. Striding past the ticket booths she pulled out her wallet and flashed the Huntress ID as she passed straight through Security setting off damn near about every alarm they had; no one ever claimed Yang was good at subtle, it’s what made her such an effective Huntress, she was loud and proud, never afraid to show herself off a little. She walked straight to the steward and stewardess watching the flight’s booth, the pair of flight attendants staring at the panicking and rushing Security staff Yang had left in her wake. 

 

Lowering her sunglasses from the bridge of her nose Yang looked over the lenses with those striking lilac irises. Reaching up and into her mouth with her mechanical arm Yang pulls the piece of gum she’d been chewing and throws it into the garbage next to the booth. Then leaning in and resting her head on her left hand Yang winks at the pair. The attendants had yet to look away, their eyes seeming magnetised to Yang’s every move. Yang certainly did love being the centre of attention.

 

“I have a commandeering order for your flight, this transport is now heading for Mistral,” Yang whispers, her voice kept sultry and low as she places the slip onto the desk. Than she was gone, leaving chaos in her wake Yang stepped off to the side, the attendants with their hearts beating like hammers in their chests and the Security staff acting like crazed monkeys.

 

The ship is small, not many aboard Yang can tell as she ducks her head to enter the doorway. Looking left and right she catches sight of the door that separates the pilot from the passenger area and knocks on it, loudly.

 

“Excuse me miss but you can’t…” the words die in the steward’s throat as he looks at the bombshell of a woman before him, who just keeps doing as she was. The door swings open, and a man in a white uniform with grey and black shoulder pads looks at her.

 

“I’m sorry but if this is one of those, ‘I can’t pay can I please-’” the co-pilot is cut off as Yang shoves a piece of paper into his face.

 

“Pilot boy!” She shouts into the cockpit causing the man to turn towards her. “This hunk of flying metal heading for Mistral?” He nods. “Good no stops and disembark passengers immediately by order of Atlas S.R.E.D., courtesy of Brigadier General Winter Schnee.”

 

Kingdom of Menagerie, White Fang Airship Platform

Velvet spared a glance at her friend. Blake had a smile gracing her face despite what Velvet has gleaned about the situation. Blake’s normally measures steps were anything but at the moment, she practically skipped to the waiting Bullhead. There was something there though, hidden in Blake’s joyful mirth. Her hands were clenched into fists and her shoulders seemed taunt like strained rope. The undercurrent of the air was hot, but not in the way Me agerie normally was this time of year.

 

“Blake, when you asked me to assist you with the White Fang I never thought I’d end up here on Menagerie as the co-director to the most powerful Faunus on Remnant. I definitely never thought you’d leave me in charge… What’s going on?” Blake’s lips curl downwards and her eyes lose focus. 

 

“Velvet, I don’t mean to be rude, you know I’d tell you if I could, but no one needs to know about this,  _ no one _ . Even my father. Tell the meetings and anyone looking for me that I decided to take a vacation, a believable one. I’ll call you if I need you Velvet, I trust you to hold down the fort while I’m gone.” Blake turned, leaving the words hanging in the air behind her as she stepped onto the airship. “And Velvet, whatever happens, don’t tell my dad I left without saying goodbye again…”

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. Forward Operating Base

_ The Schneeblatt _ sets down at the Mistralian base. Setting down on the main landing pads Ruby takes an uneasy step out. Her metal legs shaking as she tries to get her footing on the stairs. Before Ruby has a chance to grab onto the railing though she feels a firm, rock solid grip on her arm, steadying her. Taking a moment a breathing deeply, letting her chest swell with air and then fall once more Ruby takes the second step. Her legs tremble and shake less, and the stairs don’t feel like they’re wobbling beneath her feet. The final step is taken confidently, just feeling Weiss behind her was enough.

 

Weiss hasn’t let go of Ruby, her hand sliding down the younger woman’s arm and interlocking their fingers. Looking out across the metal surface of the base’s air pads Weiss’ eyes cat he the blackened scorch mark like a scar painted in a jagged blotch. There were two soldiers, their white armour covered in grime and soot, scrubbing furiously at the offending mark. Weiss tightens her trip on Ruby, refusing to meet the other woman’s eyes as she stares at the spot, maring the base’s pristine seeming finish.

 

Ruby spots a figure limping towards them. He has a dull metal grey coat, with blue detailing and a sigil on one shoulder. A sword and scabbard rests on one hip and the bulges in his jacket suggest even more weapons. He has loose fitting slack-like pants with metal plates strapped to the thighs, one has a large holster containing some kind of firearm Ruby can’t make out, while the other looks like a tactical hard case. It doesn’t take him too long to reach them, but the eye patch and scars are unforgettable; carving patterns of web like wounds over his neck and two single lines, stitched together, reaching from below the bandages up to over his left eye. His right eye had a knowing glint in it’s brown colour. The wounds look recent and his lips are curled downwards as he looks at them. He wears a Vacuo style hunters hat that matches the grey of his jacket. Beneath the coat he has a deep cobalt blue dress shirt, grey detailing running up it.

 

His lips twist into a painful smirk, his eye focused on the clasped hands. Holding out his hand towards Ruby she reaches out shaking it.

 

“I’m glad to see you standing again Miss Rose. I hope Rose and Co. Weapons will be able to move on without your active participation,” he says, voice warm yet distant. Ruby’s answer is a small shy smile as she pushes her hand through her hair.

 

“Well even without her constant direct involvement I can unasureadly say the company will continue moving forward,” Weiss says looking at Ruby. Nodding he turns offering the same hand to Weiss. Weiss shakes it, neither of the women having let go of each other. 

 

“And as always it’s a pleasure Miss Schnee,” he bows slightly. “My name is Liath Rós, Head S.R.E.D. Agent here in the Mistralian FOB. I’ll be escorting and consulting with as per Brigadier Schnee’s request. Now we should probably get moving, we wouldn’t want anyone spotting the two of you, or worse being later than you already are.” Turning he starts his limp back towards the base, leaving Ruby standing next to Weiss whose jaw had dropped. Weiss Schnee had not been late to anything since she and Ruby’s first day of class at Beacon.

 

-Side Operations Room-

 

The doors slide open revealing Blake and Yang standing in the slightly dark room. The black and yellow pair appeared to be arguing, not unusual for them given Yang’s new annoying habit of leaving once the mess was clean. Yang was waving her arms and talking in hushed tones while Blake stood there, ears folded against her head and arms crossed over her chest.

 

Ruby couldn’t contain her excitement over seeing her sister again, and petals begin to flit about in the air before Weiss can say a word. Then Ruby is almost directly in front of Yang, but she’s falling, her legs having not caught her due to her own hyperactivity. Thankfully Yang was quick on the draw and Ruby soon found herself in the elder’s arms. Weiss groans and takes a spot next to Ruby and gives Blake and Yang quick hugs.

 

Liath looks around the room, noting the amber, lilac, icy blue, and finally silver eyes locked on him. Pressing a button on the holographic projector before him a terrain of the base and its surrounding area jumps into view. Piecing itself together like a puzzle before the five people.

 

“What you are about to hear was classified during the Salem Crisis by the consensus of Ironwood, Branwen, and Oscar/Ozpin. Winter and I were let into the loop as we were the ones selected to lead the mission,” Liath begins, eyeing them. “In the waning days as you closed in on Salem and her minions she had Dr. Arthur Watts spirited away to Mistral where he would continue his research into the evolution of Grimm, and at the right time release his creations onto Remnant to slaughter the survivors of her fight, win or lose. Watts was smart and careful, but there was a slip-up and his name was dropped to the Mistrailian authorities who notified us as you were preparing to leave. Ironwood couldn’t spare soldiers and you four were needed in order to beat Salem into submission. Winter and my partner and I took a team of other Hunters who had survived the Fall of Beacon to settle the matter.”

 

“Settle the matter? It doesn’t look like you settled anything? Watts is still alive,” Yang grunts, snorting to herself and rolling her eyes at me.

 

“Watch your tone Miss Xiao Long, I could gut you as quickly as your sister could take off my head. I lost friends that day, so do not treat me like a fool, especially when I survived the near total destruction of Beacon’s upperclassmen.”

 

“Yang…. He’s right, we should be courteous,” Ruby whispers to her sister. Yang snorts again, her eyes leveling with me and burning a dangerous crimson. Unfaltering Liath places a single hand on the hilt of his sword and returns with one eye Yang’s focused glare. With a grumble and shake of her head Yang turns her attention away from Liath.

 

“As I was saying. We went in pursuit of Watts. He’d made himself at home in an underground laboratory here on this very spot, we still use it to this day to conduct tests on and control Grimm. When we arrived we found that he had no security detail, that was the first clue. The second was the large concentration of Grimm we had to fight our way through to get to the door in the first place. Twenty-five of us made it to the doors, roughly ten of us lying dead on the ground and another five having been airlifted for immediate medical treatment, my partner included. Twenty-five went in, Three came out.”

 

“Three trained Hunters out of Twenty-five? What in the hell was in there?”

 

“The secret to the Grimm, Miss Schnee. Dr. Watts had found the secret to the Grimm.”

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Forests near Dr. Watts’ Old Laboratory

The two Hunters milling about take turns looking out into the wild treescape not too far off. The leaves and branches swayed with the warm winds flowing through them. The grass bends slightly as a strong gust catches, swaying them back and forth. A flower, its pink petals pulled off by the wind begin to float along with a couple of the loose leaves. The sun shines bright, it's burning yellow shedding light on the clearing. As the first of the two Hunters looks out he sees a glint in the black of the forest. It fades as quickly as it started and she looks again. Spotting it and then watching it flit back and forth before disappearing again. Her eyebrows furrow and she leans in.

 

“Hey did you see that?” She asks looking at her partner. He grunts and turns his head to check. “Right over there, in the brush inside the tree line.”

 

The glint comes again and now he’s leaning forward, eyebrows knitted together as he shields his eyes from the sun’s glare and squints. Again, like a passing shadow it comes and goes, but there’s no pattern to it.

 

“I’ll take a look, stay here. Whatever this place is Liath was clear not to leave it unguarded. Call it in and have one of the patrol units come over here to cover the door.” Without waiting for a response he unslings the large grenade launcher off his shoulder and struts forward. 

 

She watches for a second as he approaches the treeline and then disappears into it, swallowed by the darkness.

 

“This is Huntress Ley, we might have something, Patrol 1 converge on our location.”

 

“...” static answers her. Eyes still fixed upon the spot that had swallowed her partner. 

 

“Patrol 1 answer?”

 

“...”

 

“Patrol 2?”

 

“...” The seconds turn to minutes as she watches the darkness that took him, and still not a thing has changed. Switching her Scroll channel to uplink with the nearest tower to make a long distance call to the Mistral S.R.E.D. FOB.

 

“Hey! Ley it’s fine. You gotta come see this!” Her partner’s voice catches in the wind, dragging some of it away. The air blasts hard against her and she pulls her jacket closer as the hairs on her arms stand tall. Making her way closer shadows begin to pull forward from the trees. Glancing up to watch a cloud rolling overhead and blocking out the sun she wills her knuckles to loosen on the haft of her spear. Using the blade to part the bushes she steps into the dark. A glint of silver floats in the air before her, captivating her eyes.

 

“See there’s nothing to worry about,” says her partner from behind her and she turns to see him.

 

Hanging from the tree on a thick tail probably as wide as half her height with a scaly onyx black beast attached to it. It’s neck flaps extended out wide like a Cobra about to strike as it opens its mouth. But instead of a hiss a voice comes out, reverberating through the neck flaps.

 

“I told you it was okay.” It dives forward, closing the distance on her spear and swiping at her with its tusks while its four muscular arms reach for the weapon. Her body reacts while her body is still processing. Flicking a switch on the spear it shortens and the blade drops into a bayonet as a barrel extends out of the haft. Bringing the weapon to bear on the white bone like chest of the Grimm a single flash and boom kicks as she fires. 

 

A howl intermixed between the beastly pained gasp of a Grimm Goliath and her partner’s voice slams into her like a wall. Stepping back to gain more room for her weapon she finds the Grimm’s tail slithering down the tree trunk it had been hanging off of. At the end of the tail was a sharp silvery appendage, shining in the small light pouring through the gaps in the canopy of the trees. Shifting its massive hulk forward, nearly three times her size it bats again at her spear, and knocks it from her hands before bashing her chest with its Grimm mask and she falls backwards. 

 

Then with a scream of birds and the shuddering of the tree’s branches leaving her showered in leaves she looks around and sees no sign of the beast. Her eyes widen, head snapping back and forth as she tries to find something. Then laughter, it circles through the trees and seems to centre behind her. Jumping to her feet she makes the one hundred and eighty degree turn to see a man with a thick greying black mustache, like salt and pepper, and startlingly green eyes piercing her crazed state. Her breathing is still skyrocketing as he reaches her and places a hand upon her shoulder. 

 

“My dear whatever are you doing out here all alone? Shouldn’t you be with someone?” His eyebrows, mainly white, rise and he tilts his head.

 

“I… I was with my partner, I’m a Huntress we were… guarding something…”

 

“Oh, you mean my home?” 

 

“You’re... home?” Her head raises and she sees him standing there holding up a little device in his hand, it was white and black, and looked like an amalgamation of differently purposed Atlesian techs.

 

“Why yes of course dear, I couldn’t let just anyone snoop around in there while I’ve been gone. Now Grootslang please be a kind host and show our lovely guest to her new room.”

 

“Of course Master,” comes the voice of her partner, but this time as she turns she is not armed, and her wrists are caught in a vice like grip by the Grimm’s lower set of arms. Leaning its long neck in and making her look into it’s fire filled gleaming red eyes. It leans down and nicks her neck with the tusks extending down from its upper jaw which parts. “I would love too…”

 

Kingdom of Menagerie, Belladonna Household

Sun knocked on the door, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. The door creaks open revealing Kali and Ghira standing there, Kali with her whitening hair and growing smile lines, Ghira with his own greying chest hair and glare lines.

 

“How are you today Belladonnas?” the Monkey Faunus asks. Ilia ducks in from the door frame and glares daggers at him as he looks from one Belladonna to the other.

 

“We’re doing quite well Sun, why don’t you come in and join us, Ilia was nice enough to drop by for dinner what’s one more,” Kali smiles widely, her voice as sweet as sugar and completely nonchalant. Stepping in Sun spares a glance up at Ghira before the Cat Faunus sweeps him up into a rib crushing bear hug. Gasping for air Sun is released after what felt like an eternity. Ilia continues to glare at him, and he raises an eyebrow in question. Once both the Belladonnas are out of the way Ilia grabs the monkey and shoves him against the wall, his shirt bunched up into her fists.

 

“Damnit Sun, when I agreed to help you and Blake we set up a clear schedule that way someone would always be here. You can’t just show up every day, I need you to be here on the day you said you’d cover,” Ilia hisses between her tightly sealed lips, her bangs swaying in front of her face.

 

“What day is it? I thought it was Tuesday?” Sun was serious, that much she could tell. A heavy sigh escapes Ilia’s mouth and she releases the balls of shirt she had in her grasp. Stepping away a tint rises in her cheeks and her eyes won’t meet his form.

 

“Its Wednesday Sun, you were here yesterday, and are supposed to be tomorrow.”

 

“It’s really Wednesday? Shit! Cover for me I’ll be right back!” Sun shouts as he shoots out the door at a breakneck speed that would have impressed Ruby. Ilia simply shakes her head and renters the Belladonna’s dining room, the extra place already made up for Sun.

 

“Where’s Sun going Ilia?”

 

“He just realised he had something to do, he’ll be back shortly… I hope,” Ilia mutters the last part under her breath as she heads to the kitchen to help out.

 

Kingdom of Atlas, Atlesian Court

Winter looks over at her father, glaring at his high held head and knowing smirk. The judge enters and the screech of chairs fills the room. With a single motion of his hand those present retake their seats. The judge is a Faunus, no doubt thanks to Blake Belladonna. Taking his seat, claws extended as he reaches out picking the pile of papers off his desk. 

 

“Mr. Jacques Schnee, CEO of the Schnee Dust Company, you are year by the mandate of this court in the case of Brigadier General Winter Schnee and Colonel Weiss Schnee versus Jacques Schnee. Case number 022-34517. Now Mr. Schnee you have been accused of-“

 

“If I may interrupt Judge?” Jacques’ lawyer interrupts, rising from his seat. With a diversive grunt and a nod of his head the lawyer continues. “At present I see only one of the allegators on the other side of this courtroom room, which means by Atlesian law-“

 

“I’ll stop you there Mr. Anderson. Colonel Weiss Schnee is away on important S.R.E.D. business, and has named myself and out lawyers in her stead for the making of decisions, a process allowed by Atlesian Military Regulations 1-23c/45a and 3/56-d. We are allowed to continue without her presence.”

 

“Of course Brigadier General,” the lawyer grunts and retakes his seat again.

 

“If I may now finish?” The judge raises an eyebrow. Not a word is said and a quiet fills the room. “I’d like to go first by reviewing the history of this case. I see that there have been… twenty motions for dismissal, and twenty-one motions for a new judge after the rejection of said motion… Mr. Schnee.”

 

Jacques’ head snaps to attention, his smirk still sitting on his smug face.

 

“I will not see the Atlesian Courts made a mockery of. From this moment forward your case will be heard by myself, and only myself unless I deem otherwise or become incapable of overseeing these proceedings. Now if I see a motion of dismissal upon on my desk I will tell you now that I will fully considerate given the evidence brought against you on the following crimes. Mr. Schnee you have been accused of multiple counts… Negligence of Minors, Child Abuse, Domestic Abuse, Manslaughter, Embezzlement, Corporate Espionage, the list continues on. Mr. Schnee as the final judge who will be seeing this case I waive your right to put forward motions until we have finished the jury selection process. You will be present tomorrow at eight am sharp for the beginnings of Jury selection. Brigadier General Schnee, your sister and you will not be required until Jury has been selected. Thank you for your time,” standing and leaving without another word the judge shakes his head and walks away.

 

The pair of Schnees head for the door, Winter taking a left towards the landing pad where  _ The Schneeblatt _ was waiting for her. Before she could get away though a grip snakes its way onto her arm and her lips pull tight as her father spins her to face him.

 

“What will it take to make this go away Winter? What do you and Weiss want?” His voice is a hushed whisper. Winter knew this was coming, the minute they cornered him into a trial he’d try this. Winter’s baleful gaze settles on her father.

 

“Make this go  _ away _ ? I’m sorry I didn’t realise that the SDC and Schnee’s were suddenly spineless! You think this is about money?” Winter’s voice had been raising in volume, bouncing throughout the hall. “I see you’re just as conceited and blind as you were when I left. This isn’t about money Father, this is about the honour and legacy of the Schnee family. You have poisoned our honour and left our legacy a ruinous mess. Weiss and I are here because they will no longer stand for it.”

 

“Really? So this has nothing to do with Ironwood’s want to control my company?” Jacques’ lips turn up at the corners and his eyes narrow on Winter.

 

“Weiss was the last heiress to the SDC, if anyone is to take control of it it will be the one she deems is worthy,” Winter’s voice is tight and precise. 

 

“You would allow your sister to hand  _ our _ company outside the family line?” His smug expression wiped off his face without a second thought. “No one but a Schnee, a  _ true _ Schnee will sit in the CEO’s chair in the SDC office as long as I have a say about it.”

 

“That’s why we’re here  _ Father _ ,” she spat the word like poison at him. “You want this to go away? Admit to what you did, all of it, everything. Step down as head of the SDC and reinstate Weiss as Heiress to Schnee Dust and the Schnee family fortune. Do what you should from the beginning Father, be the man Grandfather saw in you, the one you threw away all those years ago.”

 

“I will not step down, especially if you plan to hand the company over to someone else. I’d have my own head served to me before I allow such a disgrace!” Winter’s hand drops to the pommel of her sabre, not even an Atlas Judge was stupid enough of trying to remove a Huntress’ weapon from her.

 

“I would certainly love to have that arranged. Now leave before you say something you’ll regret and blow your case wide open for me,” Winter smirks, a deadly glint in her icy eyes before turning and heading towards her ship, not even sparing a glance backwards.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Secure Briefing Room

“What do you mean ‘the secret to the Grimm’?” Weiss asks.

 

“I mean he created a piece of technology that allows him to mold Grimm, he uses the Forming Pools to create whatever he can think of… it’s how he created that…  _ thing _ that…” Liath glances at Ruby’s legs and looks away just as quickly. “Watts has been experimenting from since before the Salem Crisis on this. It came to a head roughly around the time you went to face Salem.”

 

Ruby’s face is paler than Weiss’ and her knuckles are white as she holds Weiss’ hand. Weiss’ eyes widen and she slowly helps Ruby to a chair as the younger woman’s legs begin to tremble. Her chest begins to rise and fall faster, her shoulders shudder slightly. Weiss begins to run her fingers through Ruby’s hair.

 

“You’re saying you knew that beast was out there?” Yang’s knuckles crack and her eyes flicker between lilac and crimson. Her lips tighten across her face and her brows furrow.

 

“Know it was out there?  _ Know _ ? Winter and I buried the damn thing in Watts lab where it’s been stuck with enough explosives to blow the entire facility ten times over and leave not even an atom of that fucking beast!” Liath shouts his own chest heaving and with a hand wrapped around his knee. “We tried for three months to kill that thing and all we got was for it was ten dead Hunters!”

 

A pin could drop in the room, the four women staring at Liath with eyes wide and dropped jaws.

 

“It wouldn’t die, so we put as many explosives into the conjoining compartments as possible and locked the entire complex down with full time security… none of the Hunters didn’t know what they were protecting, but had strict protocols regarding-“

 

“Agent Rós?” The intercom cuts in.

 

“I told you that this was a closed-“

 

“Liath you told me that under any circumstance if something happened to Huntress Ley and her partner I should inform you immediately.”

 

“No… I thought we had more time. Cut out Nava, I need a minute,” Liath drops his head drops into his hands and he leans heavily into the table. A click resounds as the intercom cuts off and Liath raises his head. “You four need to go to the last known position of Ley and her partner now.”

 

“What do you mean now?” Weiss grunts from a His place beside a still pale Ruby.

 

“Huntress Ley was the one I tasked protecting Watts’ lab. Her unit was under strict units to keep commas open no matter what. If she missed a check in we could already be too late. There’s a Viper and Response team prepped for such an event on landing pad 3. I’ll order them to hold their launch until you four arrive… Miss Rose, you’ll take command and I’ll advise from here, I’m not combat worthy until they send in replacement parts for my leg.”

 

For a second they don’t move, seeming frozen in time, and then they’re off, like bullets from a gun they shoot out the door and though the base. Nava, who’s been by the door looks at Liath.

 

“Get me video of Ley’s position we’ll advise the response team from Command and Control,” commands Liath.

 

Kingdom of Menagerie, Honoured Burial Grounds

Sun walks carefully, not daring to disturb a single one of the palm leaves on the ground. He stops before a simple gravestone. Carved into its surface is a roiling ocean, done by Ruby, and above the intricate and carringly carved design is a name; ‘ _ Neptune _ ’. Sun reaches out, his hand stopping short and curling into a fist.

 

“I… I saw Yang again. Still a firecracker that one. I know it’s been awhile, but I haven’t had too many chances to come say hi. Blake’s making work my tail off…” he pauses, his eyes and face contorting as water pools in his eyes. “Weiss is still being Weiss, not as cold as the Ice Queen she once was, pretty sure she and Ruby have a thing… Menagerie was declared a Kingdom by the Vytal council finally… I’m sorry you never got see it man. You always talked about getting over your fears, coming and seeing me by travelling over the sea. Adam… Adam has been sentenced for enough to put him away for a hundred lifetimes, and that’s only in Vale… Blake’s really turned the White Fang around. Given a good public image and all that… I wish you were here, things just aren’t the same without you. They really try to help me understand, they do, but it’s not easy, losing your best friend…”

 

A hand falls on Sun’s shoulder, and the Monkey Faunus turns. Ghira is beside him, his hand resting a heavy, comforting weight on the younger man.

 

“Losing a friend is never easy Sun, and no one expected it to happen. I know this though, Ruby Rose was not wrong when she said that they’d want us to keep moving forward. We cannot allow ourselves to be consumed by the tired we feel inside, for it will leave us hollow and empty of everything.” The pair stands quietly as the golden glowing sun sets across the horizon of the ocean, painting the sky wondrous blues, purples, and oranges.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Watts’ Lab

A clicking sound emanates from between Watts fingers. He holds up the piece of the device, the red flashing lights around him and near silent alarm all in the background. His hand reaches around on the floor, bumping into boxes and scattered tools. Then his fingers touch what he was looking for and grabs it. 

 

Carefully, like one would treat a child, Watts lifts the wire cutters to the blue wire sticking out of the tiny clicking device. A drop of sweat collects on his forehead as he places the blades on the casing of the blue wire. Applying pressure lightly Watts closes his eyes and hears a short snip, and the clicking stops. Releasing his pent up breath the doctor wipes the sweat from his brow and looks at the multitude of disarmed bombs all around him.

 

“Well well my sweet, they really wanted to turn you and my work into atoms. A good thing they didn’t blow these either, you and all of this would have actually been gone.” A beep pervades the stillness of the building and Watts’ smile dies on his face, lips turning downwards. Picking up the Scroll he’s taken from the young woman currently presiding in one of the nearby cells he presses a button with his thumb.

 

“This is Watts, May I ask who is calling?”

 

“That’s not important right now, but we have a friend in common and it’s time for you to fulfill your end of the bargain. They’re coming for you,” answers a deep electronic voice.

 

“I do not take orders from a lackey, but it’ll be nice to have some revenge.” The line goes dead. “Grootslang, begin amassing a small number of Grimm and prepare to meet our… guests. We wouldn’t like them to feel unwelcome.”

 

“Of coursse… Massster…” Its long drawn out voice hisses. A slithering wet sliding emanates from behind Watts, slowly fading into the distance. 

 

“This shall be a very eventful day indeed,” Watts whispers turning to look at a sealed door. “Now let us see how our newest charge likes her…  _ new  _ interests.”

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Forest Near Dr. Watts’ Lab

The Viper had already started deceleration long before the destination was reached, the ship’s max speed would have sent them blasting past their landing zone. Ruby was silent as death itself, her eyes locked on the passing blur that was the ground, and her lips pulled tight. Weiss was sitting in one of the jump seats, staring at her partner, her mind racing about what Ruby might be going through. Across from Weiss were Yang and Blake, the pair equally as quiet, eyes watching their leader with concern. The rest of the soldiers in the troop bay were busy gawking at the members of Team RWBY, but even they knew better than to speak, the tension in the air could be cut with a knife. The floor shifts and a small sphere protrudes up from the deckplate projecting a full-sized hologram of Liath.

 

“Team RWBY, S.R.E.D. Fireteams Blade and Dusk. Your mission is simple. Huntress Ley and her partner, along with the S.R.E.D. patrol soldiers went dark less than twenty minutes ago. You’ll land and find out what happened to them, failing that you will secure the following coordinates transmitted to you now. This is a free fire zone and expect heavy Grimm presence, you’ve been given green light for overwhelming force and I should hope nothing will stand in your way. Medical has been briefed to prepare for casualties and wounded, extract Huntress Ley and her team. With any luck you’ll be home in sixty. Dust’s speed, and good hunting. Laith out.”

 

The hologram cuts out and the ship’s bay shudders slightly before the hum of its engines becomes a steady whine. The soldiers’ attention is drawn to the bay door as leaves and dirt swirl in a vortex around it, Ruby at its heart. Then she simply jumps, Weiss is next, then Yang and finally Blake. Their jaws drop and they rush to the edge, repel lines dropping as they get there.

 

Yang hurtles past her sister, the wind rushing past her ears and deafening her to sound before she hits the earth like a meteor. Dirt and grass explode outwards, fire singing the crater as Yang stands, her eyes a ember like red. Behind her Ruby and Weiss land next, gently and calmly stepping off Weiss’ glyphs, Blake simply dropping and landing on her feet like a cat. The Huntresses form a defensive circle, their eyes peeled and scanning while the ten soldiers of Fireteams Blade and Dusk hit the deck in the centre. 

 

A clang resounds and Yang glances up as the ropes drop from the sky, the Viper already circling away, the roar of its engines fading into the stillness of Mistral’s dense forests. Ruby taps Yang’s shoulder drawing the blonde back to the present as they gather around the two Fireteam leaders.

 

“Alright, Blake and Yang will take Fireteam Dusk, head for the patrol’s last known position and comm us when you’ve got visuals. Weiss and I will lead Fireteam Blade to Huntress Ley’s post and see what we can find. Fireteam leads hold your men back and allow us Hunters to deal with the Grimm quietly. Concentrations have been up in this area and we don’t want to attract any more attention than necessary. If we find nothing we head to Liath’s coordinates and take a shot at whatever the Hunters were guarding out here. No risky moves, everyone comes home today,” Ruby’s tone is sharp and precise, like her partner’s prized rapier. With a whirling set of clicks and hydraulic hisses  _ Crescent Rose _ slides into locked position in Ruby’s left hand, blade buried in the ground. 

 

Weiss grabs the hilt of  _ Myrtenaster _ and flicks her wrist, the blade locking into place with a satisfying thunk now free of its scabbard. Blake slowly draws  _ Gambol _ and glances at Yang, whose  _ Celica _ shinks into active mode on her left wrist. The four Huntresses nod once to each other and then with the respective fireteams behind them head off to the assigned locations.

 

Kingdom of Menagerie, Belladonna Household

“It was certainly a wonderful dinner Kali, but I really must be going. Winter Schnee asked me to help her out in Atlas for a bit with something she’s having trouble with. I’ll only be gone a couple days or so. Sun can keep an eye on you two during that time without annoying you too much right?”

 

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” Sun grunts at Ilia, the lizard Faunus hiding the lower half of her face behind her hand, but her eyes told Sun everything he needed to know.

 

“I’m certain everything will be fine Ilia, though your concern is heartwarming,” Ghira answers bowing his head to her.

 

“You gave me a home when I had nothing left, it’s the least I could do to help out around here.”

 

“You both have busy lives and much you need to work on, don’t simply let your own lives go just because you need to look after us two old cats. Now run along with the leftovers I made, Ghira needs to get back to work filling in for Blake while she’s gone.”

 

Without further adieu the two young adults were whisked out of the Belladonna household and into the bracing cool air outside. The sound of crickets chirping in the background, while the lights slowly fade away as the dark crawls in.

 

“I’ll keep an eye on them Ilia, you don’t have to worry.”

 

“I’ll always worry Sun. About everything, and everyone. Something feels like it’s coming, like we’re back where we standing all those years ago. Before the Salem Crisis…” Ilia clutches her arms over her chest and begins the rub them as her shoulders shudder with a passing breeze.

 

“Hey, no need too. I’m here and if there’s one thing I’m good at its taking one for the team. I’ll keep those two out of trouble, plus Weiss and Winter need your help more right now. The Liberation Front and Belladonnas can wait until we’ve wrested the control of the SDC out of the hands of that monstrous beast that spawned the eldest of the Schnee siblings.”

 

“You really think the Vytal council will let them control the company while they’re still in the military?”

 

“Dust no! That’s why they’ve been working on an alternative, something to keep the board occupied, and not trying to oust the new CEO, while not violating the Vytal laws. It’s why they need you. The evidence those two have is time sensitive and Jacques has wasted enough of ours with his showboating and drawn out attempts. If we wait too much longer some of it won’t be permissible in court any longer and he might get off scot free. Can’t have that happening now can we? I’ll hold down the fort, Velvet and I can keep the Liberation Front busy while you’re gone, and even if we can’t all we have to do is make a call and the rest of Team CVFY will be here in less than day. Just go already before I forget we had this conversation and I end up having to do it all over again,” Sun chuckles looking at Ilia’s slightly downturned eyes, and pulled lips. Her skin is a deep blue, and Sun doesn’t have to ask why, but she heads for the Belladonna’s personal landing pad, a Viper with White Fange markings sitting there. “We’ll be fine… it’s you I’m worried about…”

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. Search, Fireteam Blade

The hoot of an owl bounces off the tree trunks as the soldiers stare through the underbrush as the Beowulf crouched on its hind legs. The beast’s fur is as black as a moonless night, and seems to roll off its form in waves, while the bone white armour reflects some of the light back around the holes in the canopy above. She flicks the saftey off her rifle and aims at the Grimm’s head, moving like a snail to avoid making noise. Then a blur like a snow flurry shoots out from behind a tree, drawing a line through the unsuspecting beast, cutting in half. Weiss’ eyes are as hard as the steel of her blade as she looks at the disintegrating Grimm. Ruby drops, her knees bending slightly to absorb the shock, from a nearby branch and motions the fireteam forward.

 

“That’s the third we’ve seen… the concentration of Grimm was off the charts though when I looked before we left,” Ruby gives Weiss a glance, eyebrow raised.

 

“I don’t like it Ruby, we searched Huntress Ley’s position and found nothing, not even the sign of a fight. It might be best not to press our luck-”

 

“We have our orders Weiss, you know that,” Ruby bites off, her raised eyebrow dropping like a stone and she levels one of Weiss’ glares back at the older woman. Weiss’ face contorts and she returns the look in kind.

 

“You know what I meant Rose.”

 

“I’m sorry Weiss…” the younger woman’s tone was soft and tired. Weiss extends a hand rubbing circles on Ruby’s bare arm with her thumb.

 

“I know.”

 

“Hey what’s that?” asks one of the soldiers, their arm extending and pointing towards a dark grove of trees where a sliver of light glinted in and out of existence, flitting like a fly. Stepping closer the soldier cocks her head to the side.

 

“This area is restricted by order of Agent Rós of the Mistral S.R.E.D. FOB. State who you are,” a voice casts out from another shadow not too far off. Its feminine and harsh, grunting the words.

 

“We have you surrounded, don’t make a move,” a second voice grunts from the other side of the clearing; even harsher than the first it’s obviously male, and overly gruff. 

 

Ruby’s head turns from the three different places, and her lunch turns in her gut. She reacts without thought, her instincts kicking in.  _ Crescent Rose _ comes to bear and a loud clanging bang fills the air as Ruby lets off four shots into the darkness.

 

“Fireteam Blade rally on me! Weiss, light it up out there!” Ruby shouts, her voice hard and powerful, like the sniper rounds she just let off.

 

“Guess the jigs up?” questions the female voice.

 

“Guess so,” answers the man.

 

“And we were having sssso much fun…” a third, dark and hissing voice interjects.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. Search, Fireteam Dusk

The sound of gunshots got Yang’s attention instantly. The team had drilled silent takedowns for years both during and after the Salem Crisis. Ruby wouldn’t fire unless necessary. The blonde’s sisterly sense started to tingle in the back of head, but it was soon drowned out by the presence of danger closing in, like an airships radar Yang spins on her foot, punching out with  _ Celica _ .

 

The Grimm Ursa rushes right into it, its bone cracking as it comes into contact with Yang’s fist. Flames spiral outwards from the point of contact, creating a negative pressure between her fist and the Grimm’s broken skull as the flames suck up the oxygen. Then Yang’s arm continues forward and the Ursa is tossed backwards like a ragdoll, somersaulting over itself before slamming into a tree.

 

“Fireteam Dusk! Defensive formation on Belladonna!” Yang shouts, her partner dropping from concealment in the trees, pistol drawn and firing rounds down range as Ursa and Beowulves begin to pour out of the darkening forest. Yang turns smashing her right arm downward as an Ursa tries to slip past her for the S.R.E.D. soldiers. Her right arm clicks and she starts adding her own bullets to the fray as the Grimm simply try to absorb their firepower and march onward. Feeling that sharp tingle at the base of her spine once more Yang ducks and a bone flies over her head, sinking itself into the tree. Yang glares at the offending Grimm, a lobber class, Lutin to be precise. It’s far shorter the the buxom blonde and knuckles around on four legs, but the real danger in this Beowulf/Boarbatusk like rip off were the bone spines on its tails, all it would take was a single flick and those barbs would be as fast as any bullet. 

 

Yang pushes off her legs, getting airborne and landing inside the defensive circle. Blake grunts as her pistol bucks again, then stepping forward the slides her sword between two of the soldiers skewering the Beowulf rushing at them.

 

“Just like old times ain’t it Blakey?” Yang shoots off a full teeth grin at her partner then spins firing off another round at the Lutin who had swapped positions and firing angles.

 

“Far too much! I thought we got rid of those damn Lutins?” Blake’s answer is nearly drowned out by the clatter of the soldiers’ rifles, the weapons not having stopped firing, ad serving as a bullet shield against the living wall of ever encroaching Grimm. Yang takes a step out of the circle and slams her fist into the head of yet another Grimm. Then the Grimm stop, snaps and clacks fill the air as the soldiers reload their rifles and stare at the Grimm. They weren’t moving, simply sitting there staring at them with those soulless glowing red eyes.

 

“Why’d they stop? They never stop?” Yang’s voice quavers and glances at Blake, but the other woman’s expression is unreadable behind the sleek glossy black surface of her helmet. Yang could see the tilt in Blake’s head, and the hand squeezing her pistol grip.

 

“Well if it isn’t Yang Xiao Long and Blake Belladonna… I’d hoped Liath would come but I guess his most recent encounter has left him quite… indisposed from field combat. Such nasty things these little Lutins, they really don’t know when to give up. I hope you provide some sport for my more…. Interesting creations, wouldn’t want it being too easy now would we? Oh! And speak of the devil looks who’s coming to say hi.” Watts’ voice stops and Yang and Blake turn to look at the slowly expanding black reaching out from the trees.

 

It was like a constantly shifting mass that looked like a moving mountain of mud. It what appeared to be a Grimm’s face, with gleaming recessed eyes like tiny pools of fire, and a wide spread mouth as big as a car. Its lips were spread in a toothy mad grin, revealing the human like teeth like large white rocks. Those red eyes were locked on Yang, and Yang knew why, she just knew. The slick inky black of roiling mass, the human style grinders, and the bubbling of its form… It was the Grimm Ruby had described while she was lying on the ground delirious from blood loss… It was the Grimm that had tried to take her sister away. 

 

In an instant Yang lost every ounce of self control she’d learned, mustered, and taken over her years as a Huntress. Her lilac eyes flicker like a broken television set before settling on a burning red not unlike the Grimm’s own. Her teeth clench and her knuckles are white as she closes her hands into fists. Her eyebrows furrow and she stares right back, locking eyes with the monster that tried to kill her sister. It was like being underwater, Yang couldn’t hear Blake’s startled gasp, or the call to fire from the soldiers’ leader, nor the ground shifting under foot as she launched herself like a cannon round directly into the Grimm.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. Search Fireteam Blade

Ruby’s shoulder bucked as squeezed the trigger again. It was like the ocean at the beach, with the tide pullings the water back and forth, the Grimm would ebb and flow. Their numbers swelling as yet another pack of the monsters joined the fray, only to be wiped out. Weiss was reloading  _ Myrtenaster  _ for the third time, her tight lips showing what Ruby already knew. Weiss rejoined Fireteam Blade’s suppressing fire, using her Glyphs and Dust to throw death back at the creatures of darkness.  _ Crescent Rose _ clicks and Ruby reaches back into her ammo bag, her hand scrambles around a bit, and she shifts her focus to the bag. Her fingers brush against something metal and she pulls it out. Shaking the bag she doesn’t hear clanking and looks solemnly at the mag in her hand.

 

“Weiss, I’m on my last mag,” Ruby says as she slots it in and steps out of the circle. Swinging  _ Crescent Rose _ around her body Rose petals begin to float through the air and the crescent blade and Ruby turn into a blender as the Beowulves and Ursi turn up their attack. 

 

Weiss watches Ruby as she cuts swathes of Grimm down without even an ounce of hesitation. Her jaw drops as Ruby seems to just appear in the centre of the charging groups only for them to begin to steam, black smoke rolling off their forms.

 

“Weiss! Ruby!” a voice cuts through her mind and turns Weiss’s head. “We need support! Its… Yang… I can’t get her to calm down she’s just swinging at it!” Blake’s voice is breathy and changing in pitch, her tone uneven, Weiss knew something wasn’t right.

 

A roar of pain bounces through the trees and hits Ruby like a speeding train, it was her sister.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Operations Room

“Nava why is the link down, Viper 312 should be transmitting images?” Liath leans in. Nava gulps and looks at her boss.

 

“I don’t know sir, it also appears we’ve lost direct comms to the ground teams.”

 

“No…” Liath pushes back, his feet pounding across the floor in an uneven pattern. “Prep Vipers 216 and 670 for launch right now! I want Fireteam Echo on those birds immediately! Have them set for rescue and get medical ready for casualties!”

 

“Sir!” Rings Nava’s voice but Liath ignores it. Grabbing his weapons heading out into the flight deck his eyes track he fireteam as they board the two FAVs. Grabbing the handle and hauling himself on Liath nods to the pilot and the airship pulls off the deck.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. Search Fireteam Dusk

“Aaahhhhhh!” Yang stares at the Grimm, it’s spontaneously grown second mouth clamped tightly around Yang’s arm, the metal creaking under the strain.

 

“M...O...R…E….” it’s deep, throaty, and grutal voice resonates. The only black lips work their way up to Yang’s elbow and then bites down again.

 

“Aahhhh! Get! Off! My! ARM!” Yang cocks back  _ Celica _ and punches forward as she releases the metal prosthetic. The kick of  _ Celica  _ sends Yang skidding across the ground while the Grimm’s oily black goo boils, then slowly forms back. It’s blob-like form shifts and it rolls forward, the goo remolding its face as it moves.

 

Blake grabs Yang’s arm and pulls her, the wall of soldiers reforming around them. Blake raises her pistol, but a large glob of the Grimm simply falls off. Blake’s eyes widen behind her helmet’s facade. A sickly white arm, with black oozing cracks reaches out of the puddle of goo on the ground. Slamming onto the grass as the black slime slowly slides down like a chunk of melting ice cream the arm’s muscles tighten. Another arm follows the first, spread out like someone on their knees. Then comes the body, stretching into an upward dog an opaque black helmet breaks free of the pool’s surface, black cat ears with blood red cracks in their fur swivelling. Those glowing ember like slits on the helmet come alive as it locks it gaze on the blonde who had attacked it. A leg as white as snow slides up and the thing pushes off it standing up to full height, and eye to eye with Blake Belladonna. A sword is at its waste, made of cream white bone that sticks out of most Grimm’s backs, and carefully it draws the blade, running a finger along the edge, its head cocking to the side to look at the offending black blood trailing down her arm and quickly encircling it in the gloves upon Blake’s own. The light within the four slits shifts and it turns its arm up and down, examining it before repeating the process on the other side, the black dress and pants forming as it took a step towards the fireteam and glared at Yang.

 

The five humans and one Faunus have wide eyes and dropped jaws, Blake’s face going ashen beneath her helmet as she watches the  _ thing _ begin to circle them. The soldiers raise their weapons, split between aiming at the beast who had caused it and the creature it had created.

 

“M...O...R...E…?” rasps the monster’s voice and it cocks its head to the side, the intense fiery glow never having lifted off of Yang. Blake stepped in front of her still downed partner, returning the monster’s glare.

 

“You want her? You go through me.”

 

“Ha...ppi...ly…” the word’s drawn out syllables scraping against Blake’s spine like a physical attack. Then it rushes the Huntresses. Its arm shoots out grabbing a pistol out of the scabbard. Bang! Bang!

 

“Ahhh!” The scream ripped from the throats of the two soldiers who were clutching at white bones sticking out of their abdomens. Blake was cut off though before she could do anything. The monster’s legs pumped and the bone blade swept high, low, high, middle. Blake was giving ground and fast. Stepping left and leaving a shadow clone the Huntress tried to get the upper hand only to be bringing her blade to bear once more. This time though in a far more deadly position. 

 

The monster was flexing its muscles pressing more and more of its weight down onto the Human before it. Sparks light the close air between them bone screeches across metal. Blake gasps as her foot starts to slide, and her eyes dart down. It sees its opportunity, the Faunus has looked down. Releasing the two handed grip on the sword it goes for it.

 

Blake’s amber eyes look up to meet the glowing slits of her own helmet, then she stopped breathing. The air in her lungs was there, but as she opened her mouth she found she couldn’t take in air. Strong calloused hands rough from years of war grate against Blake’s smooth neck, squeezing tighter. Blake’s face begins to go pale as she drops her sword grabbing at the monster’s arms. Then the ground drops away and Blake can’t seem to reach it, her hands rip at the cloth, tugging in a vain attempt to tear the iron grip off her throat. Her arms are starting to feel numb, and her hands aren’t as quick as they normally are. Releasing a choked gasp Blake begins to realise this is where she dies.  _ Really? Like this? In front of  _ her _ at the hands of this thing? _ Her eyes start to flutter close and the din of fighting and clatter of rifle fire is slowly dying out, then everything goes black.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. Search Fireteam Blade

Ruby could move fast, that was a given, but the way the air rushed past her ears, tugged at her body, and flowed through her hair was more than just fast… it broke all laws of nature. The young Huntress was well aware of her partner’s cries, of how Weiss’ eyes had been filled with tears as Ruby ran. She hated doing this to Weiss, rushing off like this that is, but as much as she loved Weiss, yes Ruby Rose loves Weiss Schnee, there was only one person who Ruby would run for more than her beloved angel… Yang.

 

The trees were nothing but a blur, branches whipped at Ruby stinging her exposed skin with cuts. Teleportation used too much energy for it to be of any use here, she needed to go faster. Slipping under a tree Ruby caught a glimpse of gold and black, her metal feet dig divots into the ground as she slows herself. Her silver eyes rise and she stares at some kind of carbon copy of Blake, like Salem had possessed her, holding the real Blake about half a foot in the air, and her legs were no longer kicking and her arms hung loosely by her sides. Ruby’s focus, her streamlined clarity Weiss had so caringly drilled into her, it all went out the window. Ruby’s silver eyes glowed like the brilliant moon itself, but unlike the shattered disc she was whole.

 

Light, blinding, powerful, and filled with pain, exploded like a bomb outward from Ruby’s form. The Grimm who’d been hiding in the darkness of the forest, waiting for their chance at a kill simply vanish, like shadows cut loose from their bindings, while the larger Grimm Majors freeze. As the light dies down Ruby steps into the field,  _ Crescent Rose _ ’s blade covered in silvery moonlight, darkness overtaking the blue sky like clouds passing overhead. And a faint white shield surrounds the immediate clearing. Pressing off her legs her semblance kicks into overdrive, blood red petals flinging through the air as Ruby hurdles like a bullet at the monster holding Blake. 

 

Her glowing blade swipes through the beast’s arm and Blake falls to the ground, like a dropped toy. Hissing in anger the black helmeted head faces Ruby only for the gleaming blade to pass close to the monster’s abdomen. It ducks backward and brings its own blade to deflect the massive scythe. But when the two weapons meet the monster finds itself holding nothing but air, as if someone had simply deleted its weapon. Its glowing fiery eyes widen as it begins to understand. But its understanding is cut short as pain blasts through its legs and it collapses beside its victim. A short pained gasp is forced from its lips along with the air in its nonexistent lungs. A boot steps onto its chest and its eyes struggle to focus, nothing but a silver and red blur visible above her.

 

Ruby takes  _ Crescent Rose _ in two hands, and swings the weapon onto her shoulder, its light blade glinting. Then it comes down. It sees the light. It realises it belongs to the dark. It is taken back.  _ Crescent Rose _ swipes through the monster’s neck like a hot knife through butter, and the creature’s body begins to smoke and drift away. Along with it goes Ruby’s glittering eyes,  _ Crescent Rose _ fades back to its obsidian black blade, and the wall drops down. Ruby raises her head and her eyes widen, her skin pales, and her knees tremble. 

 

Large, black and bulbous its form shifts in the new light. It stays only for a second, then disappears into the darkness. Ruby feels something hot and wet stream down her face, and her knees fail to hold her weight any longer.  _ At least the ground’s soft…. _ Before a much darker night, with a far bloodier ending takes over her mind, leaving her chest shuddering.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> With any luck I’ll manage to post the next part of this next Tuesday, which is when I’m hoping to try and update this, though given the size of plotline chapters I don’t promise regularity. I’m so happy for the support, reviews are definitely welcome. This is part one of The Fox and The Hound (Hunt for Watts). I hope you guys like where I’ve gone, and yes I’m going into silver eyes a bit, as I feel given what we’ve seen in the show Ruby has some PTSD with her injured or soon to be injured friends and I want to expand on this. See ya next time!


	3. The Fox and The Hound Part II

_ R.W.3.Y.: All Fairy Tales End _

_ Chapter 1; the Fox and the Hound (Hunt for Watts) [Part II] _

Characters : Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long, etc.

Ships : White Rose, Bumblebee 

Description :

RW3Y, the amazing art by Dishwasher1910 who has given me permission to write this, after the Salem Crisis RWBY went a many myriad of directions with their lives, but maintained close ties with each other and their friends. This is their story, their continuation, the end to their fairytale.

 

Disclaimer :

Hey this art belongs to Dishwasher1910 or Bach Do, thank them for giving me inspiration. RWBY belongs to Roosterteeth and Monty OUm, may he rest in peace. The storylines, and OCs are the only things beside new vehicles that belong to me. Don’t sue me Roosterteeth!

 

_ “This is the beginning of the end, Ozpin. And I can't wait to watch you burn.” _ -Salem

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. Search Fireteam Blade

Weiss’ jaw hung open, her face pale, and her knuckles white as she held  _ Myrtenaster _ . Blake was lying on the ground, her hands weren’t moving, and her chest shifted up and down by the ministrations of a soldier. Her helmet had been pulled off and her face was a clammy white. Yang was standing, her lilac eyes rimmed red as she looked on. Ruby was on the ground , completely still, her shuddering shoulders the only hint that she was still breathing. Weiss’ legs are numb as she takes slow step after slow step. When she finally reaches Ruby, Weiss kneels down beside her partner.

 

Ruby feels the small gentle weight on her shoulder. Ruby turned her head away, no matter how many times it happened, knowing Weiss would see her like this... Ruby’s chin was caught, and with a pull she could have stopped at any time Weiss brought the younger woman’s face around. Weiss stared into Ruby’s gleaming silver pools and her lips twitch up into a tiny smirk before carefully reaching out and catching one of the tears sliding down Ruby’s face. 

 

“We’re not out of the woods yet, you can make it a little longer right?” Weiss’ voice is just louder than a whisper, and soft as the warm winds of Vale. Ruby’s chest started to slow and her shoulders stopped shuddering. Weiss began running circles on Ruby’s exposed arms, before looking over at Blake. “How’s she doing?”

 

The soldier looked at Weiss and nodded, the rise and fall of Blake’s chest back to rhythm, even if unsteady and halting. 

 

“You did it Ruby, you saved her, now come on back. Blake’s gonna be okay and Yang is gonna need both of us right now.” Ruby hones in on that calm clarity Weiss had learned to project, and she latched to it. Her hands wrap around Weiss keeping her from walking away. Weiss could feel warm wetness rolling down her cheeks, it hadn’t been the first time Ruby had run from her, but it was the first time Weiss had thought she’d die by doing it. They all had issues, Salem had seen to that, but up until Ruby lost her legs she’d simply seemed untouchable. Now Weiss wanted to protect her flower, but she just couldn’t keep up.

 

The roar of engines breaks through and in less than two minutes the entirety of Fireteams Dusk and Blade, and Team RWBY were on board and receiving medical attention. The pair of Vipers made it back to base in nothing flat, Liath left staring at the the blood pooling in the bottom of his dropship.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Watts’ Laboratory

“You failed Watts! Your creation didn’t finish the job!” shouts the deepened voice.

 

“Really? My creatures failed? You must be mistaken. Is Blake Belladonna not in the medical ward of the Mistral S.R.E.D. base? Nor is Ruby Rose not right next to her supposedly incoherent? Nothing to say? That’s a first. My creations did as they were told, I will complete my end of the bargain when the Huntresses return,” Watts lifts the vial, flicking it slightly and smiling at the tiny particles moving within. 

 

“And how are you so certain they’ll return?” Watts walks towards the door, his lips pulling tight and his brows furrowing.

 

“Because I have something that they can’t resist.” Watts makes certain that right before the connection goes dead his guest sees him and shouts despite the gag in her mouth. “That’s alright deary, scream all you want, no one is coming for you anyway.”

 

Jabbing the needle into Ley’s shoulder Watts releases the plunger and the liquid slides into her. Rubbing the spot with alcohol and applying a bandage Watts stands back up. His shoes squishing across the padded floor.

 

“I do hope you fare better than my last subject, he was not at all cooperative.”

 

Kingdom of Mistral S.R.E.D. FOB Briefing Room

“Blake will be fine, it’s just a matter of when she wakes up. She lost a lot of Oxygen and she’s still unconscious. Ruby needs some comforting words and a helping hand for a day or two, but the worst of her panic attack is over, for now. Yang’s holding up…” Weiss’ voice is near silent.

 

“So the Grimm that took Ruby’s legs was there?”

 

“Not the same one, but similar.”

 

“How do you know it wasn’t the same?”

 

“The copy… it was like the ones  _ it _ sent at us. Watts defused the explosives and freed his beast. If we don’t find a way to kill it and soon it will consume flesh and materials alike only growing in size… we could be facing something worse than the Grimm Dragons that attacked Vacuo during the Salem Crisis,” Liath states evenly.

 

“Colonel Schnee do you have the forces necessary to deal with this threat as is?” Winter’s eyebrow rises, but the sad glimmer of her eyes says it all.

 

“Keep  _ The Edelweiss _ where it is. If we move it we lose any advantage we may have. Though I have a far more concerning theory. I think someone told Watts we were coming. There’s no other way a trap like that could have been set if he didn’t have inside information.”

 

“You know who you’re accusing right?” Liath growls, his lips turning downwards as he glances at Weiss.

 

“I know.”

 

“I’ll see what Ilia can dig up, if there’s a link between S.R.E.D., SDC, and Watts’ escape she’ll find it.”

 

Kingdom of Atlas, SDC Headquarters

Her skin shifts to an ashen grey, blending with the drab ceiling of the building as the clip of boots passes by beneath her. Ilia stares at the guards, their white armour gleaming under the bright LED lights hanging next to the the Chameleon Faunus. But they continue forward, neither the wiser to danger they’d been in. 

 

Ilia drops to the floor, her legs sliding out and her arm flexing, catching her. Her eyes scan the hallway. The guards heavy footfalls slowly falls back into nothing, silence resounding through the darkened halls of the facility. With care akin to that of handling an explosive Ilia stands.

 

Stepping as silently as a wolf in powdered snow the Chameleon Faunus flits past patrol after patrol, the shining white deadening as the light faded from their forms. None the wiser to the Faunus hidden in the murky shadows, her eyes glaring at each and everyone of them, like a focused laser of wrath. But now her objective is in sight, and all that stood between her and it was a set of doors.

 

Tugging on the wrists of her gloves Ilia places one hand to the wall and then another, and flexing her arm muscles pulls herself up. The floor falls away and her feet connect with the wall. Like the reptilians her Faunus type is based on Ilia slithers up the wall. Placing herself above the doorway she stops, poised like a snake ready to strike.

 

Thankfully the guards seemed considerate of their unwelcome, and unknown, guest and a single woman her armour twinkling beneath Ilia, and the lights, presses her hand to the blue glowing pad beside the door. A swish follows the action and gracefully she steps within, the door swishing once more. Ilia continues waiting, her mask showing off a variety of orange, blue, and green hues with the blink of an eye.

 

Three reddish orange blobs, vaguely humanoid stand around in a loose triangle. Blurs swing in and out of focus and slight nods of their round tops covered a blue-yellow thing with faint shapes of rectangles coming through. Then two of them head for the door. Ilia places her hands on the frame. Her fingers tense as the swish resounds through the corridor and the with a blink of her eyes the two blobs return to armoured men walking away. Pushing off with her legs Ilia swings through the door, releasing her finger hold and sliding across the ground as the door swishes shut.

 

Ilia’s eyes sweep around, landing on the woman in the chair, head bobbing, and a tapping sound bouncing from beneath the desk. Quiet as a cat and as deadly as a viper Ilia steps forward, pulling out a clear chip, pulsing with a cool blue. The woman’s head starts to rock back and forth and Ilia sees a flash of black in her ears. Abandoning all fears of getting caught, and slinking out of her crouch Ilia presses the chip to the exposed skin of the guard’s neck, whose head lolled forward.

 

Pushing aside the chair a hum strikes rhythms in Ilia’s ears, the letters covering the blank boxes as fast as Ilia herself could manage. Looking at the button she had yet to press Ilia places her Scroll in the dock and then taps the final key, her finger firm and unyielding. A bar, filling with white takes centre stage on the large screen. It moves fairly quickly, as if it knew the precarious situation in which It resided. Ilia on the other hand struggled. Her fingers drummed a beat on her arm, she swayed from side to side, and her eyes darted between the bar and the door.

 

Shutting her eyes, inhaling heavily, and exhaling slowly Ilia drew her energy out. Her fingers stopped their beat and her sway cut off.  _ Swish _ .

 

Ilia spins, her eyes latch onto the man staring at her from behind the metal helmet. His mouth formed a small ‘o’ shape and his jaw hung low. Two coffee mugs, steam rising into the air, are in his hands. His head shifts between the screen and Ilia, then looks at the alarm on the wall to his left. Behind the metal mask-like helmet his eyes move fast as a Hummingbird’s wings from the alarm to the intruder, and back again. His shoulder shifts ever so slightly, moving for the alarm, and it happens.

 

Like time slowing down, Ilia moved in fluid, graceful motions, drawing another chip from her bag and pushing off her back leg. The short distance is covered in less than half a second, the floor seeming to bend and contort to her will as her shoulder connects with the guard’s hard steel chest. 

 

The sudden change in his balance and the appearance of the intruder nearly on top of him was the only hint he had to something having happened. The mugs’ black liquid is flung into the air as he loses his grip on the handles. Turning his head to the side he can see the ground approaching at high speed, his body feels numb and weightless, like that feeling of sleeping on a real nice bed. Then the ground comes up all to soon and shatters that illusion alongside the mugs’s cracked pieces scattered over the floor, his breath driven out of him. Looking up at the ceiling and struggling to regain some semblance of what was happening when that demonic black painted Grimm mask, its white lines swiping across the eye slits, fills his vision, and then nothing.

 

Ilia watches the chip, a continuous and uninterrupted pulsing blue just visible on his neck. A quick shake of her head and Ilia turns back to the station, the bar now nearly filled with simple white pixels. Then with a beep she could barely hear the bar filled and she grabbed her Scroll. 

 

After clambering her way up to the vents in the ceiling above and entering them Ilia’s way out was secure, and far easier than her way in.  _ Schnees… far too arrogant for their own good _ .

 

Stepping out into the whipping snow filled winds Ilia casts a glance back at the glowing lights let off by the large SDC headquarters building. Pulling a jacket from a garbage bag Ilia sticks her hands into its deep pockets, depresses the button on the trigger within, and pulls off her mask. 

 

Back inside the facility the two guards wake up with a pained gasp and a throbbing headache, broken mugs and coffee spilled everywhere, and no idea of what had just happened.

 

Kingdom of Mistral S.R.E.D. FOB Briefing Room

The click of heels enters the room and Liath turns his gaze from the report he was glancing over. A thump fills the place with its deep sound and Liath glares at the folders.

 

“We don’t have time for a witch hunt Colonel. We have two Huntresses in the infirmary and confirmation of the most dangerous Grimm type yet on the loose. Leak or no those should be our primary concern.”

 

“You might be right Agent, but our efforts have not gone unnoticed, it would be prudent to assume that if we don’t first find this traitor and flush them out we might-” Weiss’ raising voice was cut off as the door burst open.

 

“Colonel Schnee! Agent Liath! We have contact, some Grimm we’ve never seen before its heading for a village just two klicks from here, and we’ve got three packs of Beowulves running rampant between us and them!” Nava shouts staring at the two heads of the FOB. Liath’s chair is abruptly flung to the ground, his brows furrowed and expression as hard as a knife.

 

“Get Mech Infantry Fireteam Metal online. I want Turtle-class Heavy Assault Gunships in the air and our Viper quick response forces out there now. Have all standby Huntsman on high alert. If they want to bring the fight to us, we answer in kind.”

 

“Agent! I cannot-”

 

“Colonel, all due respect but your team isn’t ready to go against this thing, not again. Stand down and find what you’re looking for,” Liath winks. Stepping out the Agent is quickly followed by Nava as the pair heads for the main command centre.

 

Weiss glares after Liath, but she knew what he was doing. With all the troops and command staff with him Weiss would have free reign to perform her  _ witch hunt _ as Liath had so fondly put it. Huffing and opening the first file Weiss begins.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Watt’s Laboratory, Main Surgical Suite

“Testing is going... well its proceeding,” Watts whispers. The doors woosh and he renters staring at the woman. She was scantily clad, but his eyes rested upon her chest for a different reason, the fact that is was moving up and down, almost imperceptibly so. Her skin was ashen and the side of her head had been partially shaved, a faint white scar running along her neck and trailing up behind the back of her ear. “Subject Gamma-2 has shallow breathing and the first signs of onset have showed.” 

 

Watts’ shoes scuff forward ever so slightly. The woman’s eyes begin to move rapidly beneath their lids and her head turns towards the sound as her face contorts and her lips purse. “Response to sound is perfect, the alterations have worked wonders.” 

 

Pressing a button on his stolen Scroll Watts watches as a needle shifts on an extended arm and moves towards the woman on the table. Like the care a mother shows a child the arm arcs downward and then lovingly jabs itself into her arm.

 

Ley’s eyes shoot open as pain roars through her arm and up her into her shoulder. A strangled  half scream-shout forces its way past her parched lips. Blood, darker than the normal crimson begins to leak from the cracks of her dry skin. A snake like slither slips in, like it was right beside the table. Shoving herself off the table she screeches as the needle snaps more of the blackish blood coating her arm. Her eyes dart about, searching the utter darkness of the room. She felt like she was in a fishbowl, the light illuminating every part of her body, while the black encroached. Her skin was cold, and the air wasn’t much warmer, but… it was odd, like somehow that didn’t matter.

 

Her mind was scattered and she tried desperately to pick up the pieces, and fit things into a familiar pattern. She remembered a forest, leaves as green as the grass outside her home, but she couldn’t think of her home, it was like a dull grey box with a beautiful sea of grass and flowers before it. She remembered the smell of blood working its way through the air, but it was light and seemed far off. She remembered a voice so warm it made the hair on her arms and stand just thinking of it; it relaxed her and she slowly let her guards down.  _ The voice! _ Sure enough, in the back of her head, like a whisper in her ear just loud enough to hear, singing a quiet calming song. Her eyes widen and her teeth clench. Flexing her arms and squeezing her hands tightly into fists. Baring her teeth a tiny muted growl emits from her closed jaws. Swinging her head one way then another, her blood boils and her brows furrow and her nose crinkles.

 

“Subject appears completely unaware of her past, I’ll have to thank my new partner for getting hands on that. Now the real fun can begin.” Those gleaming red irises latch onto the direction the new sound came from, and her thoughts leave her body. Ley feels like she’s in the backseat of a car as her body rushes forward, pumping its legs as fast as she could ever have gone before slamming into a something clear and heavy. Letting loose a snarl Ley’s body pulls back an arm and with a clenched fist strikes the barrier blocking her from the noise, from the new voice. “Yes, now the real fun begins.”

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Main Technicians Hangar

Wiping down another piece of the large shoulder plate. The lights within the hangar cut off, red fills the vision of the fireteam within, and the blare of an alarm sounds in their ears only to be cut off by the intercom.

 

“All soldiers to battlestations! We are going to full alert. QRF deployments have occured. Fireteam Metal to the Tactical Briefing Room ASAP,” the voice hollers. Grunting and shoving off the crate he’d been sitting on he falls into line behind the other members of Fireteam Metal.

 

They all stand nearly two and half metres tall, even without the power armour, and a muted glow could be seen worming around underneath their skin. The six soldiers’ steps are rhythmic and defined as they head for the briefing room. Glancing back at the armours hanging on their racks, and the large stockpile of weapons seeming to wink at them, and then the door slides shut and his focus drifts back to the task at hand. 

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Medical Wing

Yang sat there, head cradled lightly in her arms. Water is pooled at her feet, and the beeping pervades throughout.  _ Why…. Why did I let this happen? _

 

Her head raises and she stares at the steady rhythmic rise and fall of Blake’s chest. Hues of purples, blues, and even blacks marring the woman’s smooth cream skin. A mask sat firmly on the Cat Faunus’ face, and those damn beeps were both driving Yang insane and also keeping her pinned to her chair.

 

“Y-y-y-yang?” comes a near silent voice.  _ That’s why _ . Spinning the chair placed between Blake’s bed and Ruby’s Yang’s red rimmed eyes focus in on her sister. Ruby didn’t look any better than Yang felt. Bags underneath her eyes which were near scarlet, and a tremble running across her despite her cloak and the heavy blanket. “What-”

 

“It’s okay Rubes. Everything’s okay,” Yang whispers her response, she couldn’t bear to hear Ruby ask it. Yang takes Ruby’s hand in her own, squeezing it lightly, like a mother tending her child. “We’re all okay Ruby.”

 

“But… where’s-” 

 

“Ruby.” Yang’s voice is hoarse. Fresh tears spill onto her face, washing away more of her makeup. “Blake’s okay. Weiss is okay. Everyone’s okay Rubes.” 

 

Water pooled in the corner of Ruby’s eyes, her hands inching their way towards her legs. Yang’s breath caught in her throat and began rubbing circles along Ruby’s arm before using the weak prosthetic to catch Ruby’s other hand. Ruby’s trembling became a shudder and her breathing started catching in her throat. Pulling her arms free and throwing off the blanket Ruby’s eyes widen at her legs. Moving to touch them her hands are once again intercepted, Yang holding them tightly, making her presence known.

“ _ One life, is not a long time. When you’re waiting, for a small sign. Patience, is hard to find. Shadows, seem to fill your life. Don’t be disappointed. Don’t let your heart break. Don’t spend another minute in this way. It’s okay.  _

 

_ Dry your eyes now baby. Broken wings won’t hold you down. You’ll take flight soon baby. You’ll be lifted up, and you’ll be there. _

 

_ Twelve hours, is long night. When you’re searching, there’s no hope in sight. Aimless, on the inside. And the damage, makes you want to hide. I know that it seems pointless. I know that it feels fake. I know you can’t stand the thought of being stray, one more day.  _

 

_ Dry your eyes now baby. Broken wings won’t hold you down. You’ll take flight soon baby. You’ll be lifted up, and you’ll be there... _ ” Yang soothes, running her metal fingers over Ruby’s arm softly. “You just hang in there little sis. Weiss will come down soon.”

 

Ruby’s eyes had fluttered closed, and her face was peaceful. Yang felt another bout of tears coming on, but this time it wasn’t over Blake, or even Ruby. 

 

_ Yang was sitting  alone, on the couch staying up to wait for mommy coming home. Dad had said she’d be home today, and mommy had said she was going to bake cookies. Yang knew she wouldn’t get them tonight, especially with her little sister already cocooned in bed, but she just wanted to watch her mother walk through their door. Dad had gone to bed, knowing he’d have to take the morning shift with his fiery daughter and her younger sister…  _

 

_ The phone rang, starting Yang and causing the young girl to look up at the shaking phone. It stilled and Yang thought that she just must be really tired. Then the phone shuddered and shook a second time, releasing its ring around the house. Without thinking, just wanting the noise to end Yang grabbed the phone. _

 

_ “Hello? X-Xiao Long residence,” her little voice squeaked. _

 

_ “Yang? It’s Qrow. I need you… I need you to wake up your dad right now.” his voice didn’t sound right, like he’d been crying. Yang had heard that when Mommy left earlier and Ruby had cried. _

 

_ “Uncle Qrow? What happened why-” _

 

_ “WAKE UP YOUR FATHER!” Qrow’s shout caused the young girl to drop the phone with a scream and run down the hallway, the phone bouncing on the floor behind her. _

 

_ “Daddy! Uncle Qrow yelled at me!” Yang shouted as she jumped onto her parents bed. _

 

_ “Wh-What? Yang… my little dragon, why are you up?” Tai moans from underneath his pillow.  _

 

_ “Uncle Qrow yelled at me to get you,” Yang huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at her father. _

 

_ “Alright, let’s go see what Qrow wants,” Tai answers. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and yawning Tai takes Yang’s hand and heads for the phone. He picks it up, places it to his ear. “Qrow why are you-” _

 

_ “What?” _

 

_ Tai’s hand goes slack. Yang watching on as her father falls to his knees. Rushing forwards Yang stares at him, his eyes watery and face slack. She tugs on his arm, pushes him. _

 

_ “Daddy what’s wrong?” _

 

Those words still sweep away all the work she’d done, the fear that gripped her.  _ Daddy what’s wrong _ , three simple words had shattered everything Yang knew, broken her world, and her father. Looking over at Blake’s steady breathing Yang forced herself from the chair, and did what Blake used to do, she left.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Tactical Briefing Room

“Fireteam Metal, you’re the only members of PROJECT CERBERUS currently on hand and with most of my Hunters still spread out in the field to engage the Grimm you’re all I have to send out besides standard soldiers, at least until I manage to scrounge up my reserve Hunters,” Liath says staring at the stiff troops before him. Their heavy, hard arms are tucked behind their backs with hands clasped.

 

“What’s the target Sir?” asks the first, Alice Flora, Metal Five. Her auburn hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail, some wisps escaping and hovering almost imperceptibly in front of her scarlet eyes. A line, thin and white, in perfect contrast to her near golden brown tan travels from almost the corner of her mouth down over her chin and along her neck.

 

“New Grimm type, same style that removed Agent Ruby Rose of her legs about a year ago. Highly intelligent and capable of producing accurate copies of its enemies. It can shift its body reforming its face to take on any attack. As far as we can tell it has no discernable weaknesses, and has withstood direct attacks from Huntress Yang Xiao Long and Agent Ruby Rose. Classified as Typhon, like the father of all monsters, it will only continue to grow as it consumes material and organic matter. You’re task is to delay it as long as possible. It’s already wiped out at least one village and is on a direct coarse here.” A hologram of the base lightens the darkened room and then zooms out, red zones highlighting the surrounding area. “As far as we can tell it's trying to grow its size before confronting us, so stopping it here and now is the only way to succeed. You have authorisation to perform any necessary action to prevent Typhon from reaching this base. Is that understood Fireteam Metal?”

 

“Sir. Yes, Sir,” Their voices chorus. Liath nods. 

 

“One question Sir,” pipes up the man next to the door, Wallace Jenkins, Metal Four. His head is shaved, so his hair appears black. His light brown eyes glimmer with an emotion that can’t really be pinned down, either fear or excitement.

 

“Yes Metal Four?”

 

“We get to take anything from the armoury right?” Jenkins eyes widen and his lips crack into a smile, extremely inappropriate for a soldier of the Atlas military, even more so for an Ironclad.

 

“Take what you want Fireteam Metal, Dust knows you’ll need every advantage you can get.”

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Briefing Room

The words on the pages were blending together, like someone had stuck the black ink into a whirlpool then dropped it on the pages in front of her. A yawn, unbidden, escaped her mouth and her posture started to falter. Rubbing her eyes and blinking once or twice Weiss redoubles her efforts, but the words just won’t stop mixing themselves. 

 

She’d gotten through an amazing twenty files, combing through all of their records with a fine tooth, looking for any possible connection between SDC, S.R.E.D., and Watt’s imprisonment. There just wasn’t anything there. The clock’s ticking had been a constant reminder to Weiss, knowing that troops were dying as she sat there, looking over  _ paperwork _ ! Her body started to growl, and her fingers were sluggish. Turning to the clock Weiss’ eyes widened as she stares at the five hours she’d been here, still no closer, and starving to boot. Her chair skitters back with a heavy screech and Weiss drops the most recent file, Nava someone or other, being just legible to the Schnee. 

 

Forcing the door open Weiss glances left and right;  _ Medical or Command Ops? Ruby, or your job? _ Splitting left Weiss pulls out her Scroll and swipes it through the vending machine’s glowing lights. It spits out a three day old bagel and an ancient cream cheese packet. Her nostrils flare as she snorts and tosses the packet in the garbage. Another station, another swipe, another affirmative beep, and Weiss is holding a coffee. It probably tasted like someone had steamed water and put coffee beans in it, but it had caffeine, her eyelids felt heavy and Weiss quickly sips her coffee.  _ It was terrible _ . Her stomach rumbled and Weiss half-heartedly bit into her bagel, nearly spitting out the bland, dry taste in her mouth.  _ By Dust why haven’t I improved the food around here? People actually eat this crap? _ With a groan, and a twisted look of disgust Weiss takes another bite, quick to wash it out with the coffee,  _ at least that had flavour _ . 

 

Her steps carried her to her destination, but something catches in the corner of her eye. Stopping, turning, and examining the rare find Weiss’ eyes light up, the bags forming there stopping almost instantly. Shooting fast peaks to make sure the hallway is clear, her lips break into a smile and the Colonel of S.R.E.D. practically sprints into the room. 

 

It was like most of the prefab rooms here on S.R.E.D. FOBs, a barren whitish grey, dull as the Schnee mansion’s colour palette. But sitting on the desk was the one thing breaking the monotony of the room. Brown, squat, and rectangular machine. A small half circle like bubble coming off the front, and a stack of packaged cups on a shelf next to it.  _ Thank Dust! _ Rushing forward Weiss downs the coffee and places the paper cup underneath the spout of the machine’s bubble. Popping the top and grabbing a coco mix it slots in perfectly, like a round of Dust into  _ Myrtenaster _ . Fiddling with the settings a bit and then hitting the glowing green button Weiss smiles at the flowing brown liquid. Wisps of hot air coming from the small pool at the cup’s bottom as a couple of bubbles float to the surface of the rising liquid.

 

“Ahem.” a voice sounds behind Weiss. Jumping and spinning about like Ruby being caught with her hand in the cookie jar Weiss stares wide eyed at the woman in the doorway. A woman with white hair, blue highlights and a thin frame looks at Weiss, eyes roaming up and down. “Colonel Schnee, sneaking into my office and using my coffee maker? Well I guess the coffee really is bad.”

 

“You’re... Nava, right?” Weiss questions, her heart slowing down and turned grabbing the cup filled with her salvation.

 

“Yes, I’m Liath’s right hand around here. Keep the base running and all that,” she answers, catching Weiss’ eyes darting back to the machine. “Just take another, and here while you’re at it have this.”

 

Weiss was already making another cup when a brown paper bag was set down before her. A round shape was in its centre and the smell of meat and cheese wafted up from it.

 

“I grabbed this for later in case I couldn’t get a break from command ops. Take it, looks like you need it more than me. What are you working on anyway?”

 

Weiss grabs the bag, dumps the bagel in the garbage and takes the second drink. Sparring a quick glance back at the younger woman Weiss smirks.

 

“Deciding who gets a raise Miss Nava, and right now you’re at the top of my list,” Weiss stepped out and kept moving, avoiding contact with any others and keeping her mission in single mind.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Training Centre

The bag hits the wall exploding into sand, foam, and singed leather. The smell of burning clothes seeps into the hallway, and the two Hunters immediately turn back the way they’d come.

 

Yang shouts hitting another of the lined up bags full force, her eyes shimmering red, and ringed with tears. Fire trails her fist like a Comet's tail and explodes as the bag warps around it, before flying into the wall where its compatriot had gone. Sweat practically poured down Yang’s form as she stepped up to the next bag.

 

“You know destroying S.R.E.D. property is something I take offence too,” Weiss calls from the other side of the room. Yang’s red eyes linger on the Schnee, Weiss’ hair was a mess, curled and sticking out, her shoulders were slumped and posture weak. She had a bag and two drinks in hand, but given the direction she was going Yang didn’t think it was meant for the white clad woman to eat them.

 

“Who cares right now?” Yang grunts. Flexing her leg and then pulling back she kicks the next bag, leaving the same mangled result resting on the floor.

 

“Yang, talk to me…” Weiss’ tone is quiet, calm, the same one that had kept Ruby together until they were back to base. Yang’s blood boiled at the tone. A flicker of fire sparked near her hair. Then Weiss’ brows furrowed, her eyes set in harsh lines, and her lips pulling tight. The fire died, and Yang just couldn’t stay standing any longer, just like her father all those years ago, Yang fell to her knees. The clack of heels draws close and this arms wrap around Yang’s sharp muscles. “Hey. It’s okay Yang.”

 

“No Weiss… it isn’t. I jumped in, let my semblance control me… just like the old days, before the Fall. I didn’t think… all I could see was Ruby laying there on the ground…” Yang’s chest began to heave, her muscles tensed, and her eyes shone a bloody red. “I saw that damn  _ thing _ and I lost it, it was like watching Ruby lying on the ground over and over again…. I broke my rule Weiss, I lost control and it cost me an arm, it nearly cost me Blake, and now… how do I…”

 

“You do just like all of us do Yang. You do because you’re a Xiao Long, because you helped defeat Salem, because when you walk out into that hallway you don’t get to be like this anymore… We took on the hardest job anyone could ask of teenagers, and it left scars not all of us can see. We all carry our burdens, but if we don’t share them with each other then we’ll fall victim to our own demons…. You taught me that, when you came back to Haven, when you showed me that your strength on the outside was nothing compared to what you have inside.” Pushing a finger into Yang’s chest for good measure Weiss picks up the drinks and bag and starts heading back to the door. “Oh. And you owe me about a hundred thousand Lien for all the equipment you just broke! Advice is free though!”

 

Yang watches the retreating woman, how had everything come to this. Weiss Schnee of all people being the one to keep their little family together. As corny as Weiss had just been Yang could feel it in her bones, but that didn’t mean she had to yet. Getting off the ground Yang picks up another bag, sets it on the hooks and starts a normal combo.  _ Just keep moving _ .

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Watts’ Laboratory, Security Room

Watts’ lips turned up into a smirk. The subject, as he’d taken to calling what was Huntress Ley, was far better than he’d anticipated.

 

She couldn’t remember what  _ life _ was. Her mind felt clouded, a storm of fog constantly hanging over it making her thoughts murky, hard to gather. A hiss reverberates through the room and she squints, her face contorting at the thought now prevalent in her mind.

 

“Are you ready for another session?” whispers a warm female voice. The voice rings in her head, a little whisper in the back of her head saying something she couldn’t grasp onto before it fleeted away.  _ Always that same voice _ , it caused her nostrils to flare and her lips to pull back, revealing sharp pointed teeth, like a wolf’s. Her chest rumbles and an animalistic growl permeates the air between her and the new comer. A pain radiates from the tips of her fingers and they blacken, before creamy bone claws slide out of the oily black appendages. The liquid travels up her pale, near ghostly, white arms covering the blood red cracks and skin. Bone sprouts from the oily film, splitting it apart and letting an armour cover her. In her mind Ley knows that this isn’t right, that something has changed, that she couldn’t do this before… but none of that matters, what does is punishing that voice, ending its torment upon her.

 

Watts stares from behind the glass as liquid covers the near white skin of his subject. She’d been practically naked only moments ago, now she stood in grainy, bone armour and black cloth. Her blood red irises highlighted by the whites of her eyes having long since turned black. Her hair had only pieces of its former brown luster hidden on its ends, the rest was a glittering white, near blinding under the lights. But examining her smooth physique for blemishes in the conversion process could be done later, it was time to see if this new creation, if Gamma-2 could actually perform. Pressing his finger heavily into the Scroll Watts lowers it, and brings the lights to nearly nothing.

 

The darkness consumes Ley’s world leaving her with nothing by which to fight, or at least it should have. The smell of whatever had joined her was still very much here, it was meat,  _ bad meat _ , for some reason she couldn’t think of another word. A buzzing of flies, their rapid beating wings, zipping about. A blurry shadow, moving about, shambling, striding towards her. The blob like form becoming sharper, its edges easier to see. It was humanoid, and looked… incomplete. 

 

Like the snap of her fingers the world’s darkness fades, lit by the mirroring of the infinitesimal light within the room, done by her own eyes. The shadow which had been coming towards her at a meandering pace turns pure crimson eyes upon her, their glowing fiery centre focused wholly on her. But that isn’t what caught Ley’s attention.

 

Brown locks of hair fall in front of those fiery red eyes. Clumps are missing, like her head had been shaved. Her face is thin and pale, her cheeks stretched. Parts in her skin reveal the drab red of the muscles beneath, slight flexings happening in its jaws. Its cheeks were slit, long pieces of skin simple there, with large gaps between them. Her nose was half gone, partially ripped off and hanging. Her teeth were a yellowed white, and all sharpened to a point. Her shoulders were patchy, some of the pale porcelain like skin having become grey and wrinkled, cracking slightly as it shifter one forward. A white gleam of exposed bone was held together by twisting sinew and muscles on her arms, skeletal and thin fingers wrapped tightly around a long spear. But that wasn’t the worst part. Ley’s gaze lingers on the thumping heart hanging out in the exposed chest of the beast before her, its ribs were pulled back revealing a Grimm mask at its centre.  _ Is that _ \- Her thoughts are cut off as the beast rushes forward.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Medical Wing

The door hisses open and admits Weiss into the room containing her two teammates. The hot cocos she’d brought no longer seeped their warmth into Weiss’ hands. The bag she’d been carrying had long since lost its powerful salivating aroma of meat and cheese. Sitting down in the chair still worn with Yang’s larger form Weiss places the food on the tray by the bed. 

 

Beep. Beep. Beep. Looking from the corner of her eye at the machine still tied to Blake Weiss levels a glare at it. Beep. Beep. Beep. Releasing a huffed sigh Weiss reaches out to Ruby, leaving the machine to be dealt with later. Her hands make contact with Ruby’s smooth soft skin. Weiss’ lips turn up, smiling, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.

 

“Ruby, time to wake up. I brought some food,” Weiss’ voice is near silent, nothing but a slow hum. Ruby’s head turns in response, but her body begins to tremble. Beneath her skin Ruby’s muscles constrict, her entire body tensing. Her brows furrow and her face pinches together. Weiss’ knuckles go white as she fights to keep Ruby’s hand in her own. “Ruby, I’m here, everything is alright. Come on, relax.”

 

Ruby twists, nearly pulling Weiss out of her seat. Wet, hot liquid begins to spill across Ruby’s face, running tracks down to her chin as her jaw and shoulders tremble.

 

“... Blake…” Ruby’s rough voice croaks. She twists back showing the tears staining the curve of her face. Weiss’ adam’s apple bobs and her face pinches as she bites her tongue, water pooling in her eyes.

 

“Ruby, Ruby I’m right here, Blake is too. Just calm down and wake up my dolt.” Weiss clutches Ruby’s hand tighter with one hand, and using the other to take away some of the younger woman’s tears off her face. Ruby’s head twists away from the touch, some hair falling in front of her closed eyes. Weiss brushes the strands back into place then starts rubbing soft circles on Ruby’s arm. “I’m right here Ruby, I’m right here.”

 

Ruby’s tossing slows, but Weiss’ words seem to have no effect on the growing trails on Ruby’s cheeks, nor the shudder of her jaw. Weiss groans, stopping her circles she watches Ruby’s lips purse into a pout. The older woman puts her hand onto the bed and presses her weight into it and swings onto the bed.

 

Weiss loosely wraps her arms around the sleeping woman, a pink tinge fills her cheeks. But the light pink becomes a burning red when Ruby spins her grasp and latches onto Weiss like a child holds a teddy bear.

 

“It’s okay Ruby, I’m here. I’m not going anywhere,” Weiss whispers into Ruby’s ear, running her hand along Ruby’s upper arm.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Attacked Village, Kioshi

“Metal One come in, this is Command,” Nava’s voice breaks through. The clattering of rifles, bang of marksmen weapons, and the thunder of a heavy machine gun. “Metal One?”

 

The metal plates clunk together as one of the armour clad forms steps out of rank. Holding a hand up and tapping the side of their rounded helmet. A faint spark of static bursts then a voice with it.

 

“Metal One come in.”

 

“This is Metal Three. Metal One is down, along with one of our Turtles. Munitions are running low. Whatever the hell this thing is it doesn’t give an absolute shit about us,” his voice grouses. Spinning about and raising his rifle the armoured man slides his finger into the trigger guard. A Beowulf, black as night, white spines jutting from its back as it’s claws dig into the dirt, pulling itself towards them like the ground might give any faster. His eyes dart up catching sight of the near collapsed building to the right.

 

“Jenkins! RPG that support on my mark!” Metal Three booms. His eye drop down, one Beowulf had become multiple, a number jumping around the corner. Their legs pump faster as they charge up the dirt road, the climb of the hill doing nothing to slow their advance. The first one comes in line with the creaking stone building. “Mark!”

 

A flare of fiery orange light ignites in the back of the tube on the shoulder of Jenkins’ armour plate, held steady by his heavy hand atop it. Ripping out the other end of the tube and trailing a thin vapour of steamy white the rocket collides with the last, crumbling, support pillar and the three story house loses its fight with gravity.

 

The mansory tumbles towards the road, smashing headlong into the Grimm. The first few don’t even have a chance to react. A tan dust fills the air and pieces of building collide with the Grimm. The heads of the those behind the first few suddenly raise, but then their darkened forms simply disappeared behind the thundering tumble of the crashing building. As the dust begins to clear he glares through his visor. Glancing up at the black smoke belching from the rest of the burning village, the blue sky becoming clogged with darkness, blotting out the sun behind clouds of grey ash. 

 

The buildings around us are ripped apart, flames burning through them, and leaving them husks ready to fall like a house of cards. The small clearing was littered with bullet casings and blood pools, resting beneath still bodies. The dirt of the ground is torn up and gouged from the running or our Ironclads, two of whom were standing next to one lying upon the ground, its fingers no longer clenched together. Taking a step forward it feels like his armour suddenly weighs twice as much, He struggles forward under its heaviness, rifle held across his chest. 

 

The two other Ironclads turn and nod to him. He stops, staring at the once pristine armour, now covered in smudges and slashes of dirt and mud, a heavy scarlet set of stains leaking out from pieces of broken bone sticking out of the rent chest armour.

 

“Metal One is gone. Too much trauma, couldn’t stabilize him, he’d have needed a miracle just to walk again if we had saved him,” one of the Ironclads whispers.

 

“Alright Metal, lets gather munitions and gear, we have to reach that next group of troops and prep them to engage Typhon again,” Metal Three grunts. Leaning down the soldier takes magazines off the armoured corpse. Leaving a box within the body’s open chest Metal Three turns and steps away.

 

“Metal Three, do you really think we stand a chance?” Alice quips. Metal Three glances over his shoulder and leaves Alice with a lingering stare.

 

“Prep for the mission Metal Five. I have a call to make.” Pressing a finger to a small circular piece on his helmet an antenna slides up out of his pack. “Metal Three to Command. Do you copy? I repeat Metal Three to Command. Do you copy?”

 

“Command reads you Metal Three. Liath is here, he’s demanding your status.”

 

“Metal One is confirmed KIA. One of our Turtles is down, but callsign Sidewinder is still in the air, their support is minimal though, they’re nearly out of ammo. We are requipping and heading for next troop position. We’ll rally the soldiers there and make another push for Typhon.” Looking out at the black mass just visible on the horizon, smoke and ash belching into the sky around it. “Requesting air support, artillery units, and heavy weapons and munitions.”

 

“That’s a negative Metal Three. We’ve lost too many units to spare any. I’ve only got one more unit I can deploy. So no Bullshit, can you reach Typhon if I deploy them to you?” Metal Three levels a gaze, his eyes glinting with pain and hate.

 

“Sir. All due respect, but if it costs me everything I have I’ll give whatever you send me a clear shot at the fucking monstrosity, and I’ll see it die.”

 

“Copy that Metal Three. Transmitting coordinates for an RV point now, I’ll see what else I can scrounge up for you. Command out.”

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Watts’ Laboratory, Examination Room

Staring at the pure snow white skin Watts’ mustache twitches. The sedation would be wearing off soon, but he’d finished the last of the surgeries. Now it was time to see if everything had worked.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Locker Room

Yang rubbed her short hair with another towel, two discarded on the bench beside her. Her skin felt warm and was tinged red. The mirrors were heavily fogged. The air was heavy with steam and seemed to hover about.

 

“Huntress Yang Xiao Long report to Command Ops,” rings an electronic monotone voice from a speaker obscured from Yang’s view. Yang’s eyes flash crimson and her muscles tense for a second. Breathing in, and releasing it Yang’s eyes return to lilac and her muscles relax.

 

-S.R.E.D. FOB, Command Ops-

 

Yang tugs her half jacket on and the doors hiss open for her. Her boots clank on the deck and a number of heads turn. Yang would normally wink, throw a coy smile, or even gather enough charisma for a swagger, but not today.

 

“Huntress Xiao Long reporting,” Yang huffs, cocking her hip and placing her hand on it. Liath doesn’t turn. His eyes still fixed on the screen.

 

“Good. Nava prep Viper 157 for rapid deployment and fit it with every piece of munitions we can spare,” Liath grunts. He spins on his heel and limps over to the next terminal. “Reroute those units to these positions, we need to create a defensive perimeter here, here and here.”

 

“I’m here Liath,” Yang grunts, her eyes narrowing on the older Hunter whose back is to her. His jaw moves as he says something she can’t hear and then he heads for the next monitor. 

 

“Get Echo-419, 435, and 457 in the air for air support, I know their birds aren’t fully armed but we don’t have anything else to send.”

 

“Laith.” Yang bites off, her nostrils starting to flare, her arms tensing and the relaxed facade dropping away.

 

“Yes, Yang. Get on Viper 157 I need you to connect with Fireteam Metal and re-engage with that Grimm, Typhon.”

 

“What.” Yang’s voice barks. Liath’s face finally comes into view, and the muttering of everyone around them has quieted.

 

“Huntress Xiao Long. You will board Viper 157 and RV with Fireteam Metal. That Grimm that you attempted to destroy in the forest has been consuming matter and organic materials and is now so large that it not only dwarfs you, it thinks a two story building is a bed! So get on the Viper and stop that damn monstrosity before it reaches this base and takes out the only forces within 100,000 kilometres that can possibly hope to STOP IT!” Liath’s chest is heaving, his eyes wide, nostrils flared, and brows furrowed, leveling Yang with a glare so intense it could have made a Beowulf run for cover. Yang stood her ground, like the wind itself was trying to rip her from the the dirt Yang simply leaned into it.

 

“My sister is here.” Yang answers, cold as ice.

 

“You think you’re the only one with something to lose Xiao Long? Is that it? Is your sister’s life? Your partner’s life? Your friend’s lives? Are those worth sitting here arguing with me? Colonel Schnee has a prototype arm for you, I had it placed on Viper 157. Meet the damn bird and go save all our necks.” Liath growls through his clenched teeth, and then his voice lowers. “If you don’t, I don’t have anyway of stopping this thing… and the nearest help of any kind is hours away, far too late to stop that thing before it gets too a size where even a Ironclad Titan-class would be forced to reconsider fighting it. You can beat it Yang, you’re the  _ only _ one who can beat it.”

 

Yang’s eyes widen, her lips slowly forms an ‘oh’ as a weight falls on her shoulder, an arm, Liath’s arm.

 

“You stop this Grimm and we may have actually accomplished something today Yang. But my troops need a Hunter, and I’m spread thin engaging with every hoard that’s taking advantage of the chaos. I know you can do this.” Yang’s adam’s apple bobs and she nods, quiet as a stone. Stepping back and turning Yang heads out the door, which hisses in answer before closing shut behind her.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Medical Wing

Ruby cracks her eyes open, a soft muted white greeting her silver irises. Stretching her eyelids further, and letting in the light of the room fill out the details. Something warm was wrapped tightly around her, like Zwei had snuggled into her arms. That’s when something moved, pushing in towards Ruby and her eyes went wide. Attempting to pull herself free Ruby finds a grip as strong as steel tight to her form and keeping her in place. A deep crimson covers a good portion of Ruby’s face as she feels Weiss’ hot breath on her neck, and the steady thump of the elder woman’s heart. In comparison to Ruby’s sudden change, her heart beating a rapid tempo in her chest Ruby’s skin begins to feel clammy and her eyes dart from place to place, hoping for an escape route.

 

The room is a barren dull utterly spotless white. From the standard metal walls to the simple matter-of-fact deck plating. It was like a clean room, and all it did was make Ruby’s pounding heart reach her ears, drowning out the sound of Weiss’ even and simple breathing. Ruby’s face falls,  _ there’s only one way out of this before Yang catches her in Weiss’ arms, and they all knew how that had already happened far too many times as of late _ .

 

“Weiss?” Ruby’s voice is as soft and muted as the slow rise of the sunset on a lazy Saturday morning. “Weeeeiiiiissssssss?”

 

The white haired woman shifts in her sleep, freeing Ruby from one of her captors arms, only for Ruby’s triumphant smile to die on her lips, as a finger presses against them.

 

“Shhhhh Ruby. Five more minutes. Don’t you… dare use that whistle…” Weiss trails off, her speech slightly slurred with sleep and interrupted by a yawn. Ruby wants to lay there, to let Weiss’ arms stay around her. But as memories drift into her from recent events Ruby’s soft features harden, and her muscles tense.

 

“Weiss. We need to get up now. Blake and Yang need us.” Ruby’s voice is edged and lacks her negotiable tone. Forcing herself up Ruby groans as a pain shoots through her head and she shuts her eyes hard. Rubbing her forehead one handed she cracks her eyes and looks down at a single baleful eye, blue as ice, and just as cold glaring at her, framed perfectly by the scar upon the woman’s face.

 

“Don’t need to remind me Ruby. But you still need a lot of rest. You pushed yourself using as much Aura as you did in your abilities,” Weiss grouses, rising up alongside the younger woman and rubbing lightly on the knots in her neck. Weiss slowly looks back down at the bed, then returns her gaze to Ruby and her own face reaches a red tint to rival Ruby’s namesake. Ruby returns the favour in full force, looking away and running a hand through her hair. Weiss for her part can’t meet Ruby’s eyes and brushes some hair out of her face. Neither removing their single, still intertwined, fingers. 

 

A buzz heavy and loud breaks the filling awkwardness and makes Weiss look at the small bedside table, where her Scroll was currently attempting to make a run for it. Weiss deftly catches the device before it can fall and taps the answer button.

 

“This is Schnee.” Ruby watches on, her hearing still slightly drowned out by her now partially faded heart beat. “What? Okay. Got it Ilia, thanks for the update.”

 

Weiss lowers the Scroll and clicks a button, looking up at Ruby with her normal determination. 

 

“We have a lead on our spy, apparently Father has been funnelling funds through a shell corporation in Vacuo, Winter has already pulled the records we should have access in less than an hour. It’s time we find out how Watts has known what we were planning.”

 

“What Spy?”

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Viper 157 en route to RV Point Gamma Delta

Yang watches as the green of the leaves is soon covered by a thick, heavy, rolling smoke swallowing the light. The ground disappears lost to the dark chalky black. The clear sky above her is unaware of what is happening below, clueless to the horrors of its realm. But even the light of the sky was fading, the sun having long since reached its zenith, heading back towards darkness, to let the moon light the darkness. It wouldn’t be long now till light was almost completely blocked for those trapped within the confines of the smoke. Yang was going in there, letting the smoke take her in the hopes that if she could do what she had failed to earlier, something of this day could be salvaged. It set her face hard as if it had been chiseled from stone.  _ I will succeed. For Ruby, for Blake, and for Weiss _ . Yang grabs a pair of goggles off one of the racks rattling around in the back of the speeding Viper and places them over her eyes. A squawk fills her ear, and then a voice.

 

“ETA two mikes thirty sierra. Prep for hard landing, Metal’s having a hard time down there Huntress. They might need you to bail them out,” the male’s voice says directly into her head. Yang’s mouth sets into a line and she flexes her right arm, staring at the golden and black paint adorning it. A glowing, golden-orange sphere set at just after the elbow joint on the outside of its forearm. Snapping the fingers and rotating at her shoulder and elbow joint Yang feels the weight of the limb start to fall away, becoming more natural with every test. The Viper shifts downward and Yang uses the metal hand, a tremor in its movements quickly subsiding as she grabs a face mask and fits on. “ETA one mike thirteen sierra.”

 

The angle of the ship suddenly pitches towards the ground and Yang catches one of the handles with her robotic arm. The metal fingers curling around the crash bar and holding it with an iron grip. The smoke engulfs the windows of the troop bay, blocking out any view of the outside world behind a smog of ash and dust so thick Yang could never see through it.

 

“ETA fifty-seven sierra. Bay doors opening. Drop on my mark Dragon.” A blood curling whine fills the bay, quickly drowned out by the howling of the wind as it whips into the bay causing Yang’s jacket to be cast back and forth and the thick hard-case on her hip to shift and shudder. Nature itself along with the smoke now filling the space around Yang seems to hate her presence, trying to rip her hand from the bar and fling her into the vortex created by the open doors. The smell of ash and smoke, and burning flesh fills Yang’s nostrils and the taste of bile floats up her throat. Her adam’s apple bobs and Yang focuses on the smell of lavender, imagining it in her mind, doing her best to drown out the other scents. Yang would be blind were it not the thermal vision of the goggles lighting up a bright fluorescent red of the Viper’s drives and rings and dots of burning gold just barely visible on the ground below. “ETA twelve sierra. Confirm the RV point is clear and we’ll have Echo squadron drop your supplies. Can’t see anything through this soup and our sensors can’t get a clear reading. You’re on your own Ma’am. Three… Two…. One… Mark!”

 

The shout has Yang releasing her hold and letting the wind rip her free of the Viper’s troop bay, sucked out into the hot shifting air of the world. Her only indication of anything happening being the sudden drop of her stomach, and the numbers scrolling insanely fast over the goggles Heads Up Display. Yang allowed herself to be swallowed by the gloom.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Briefing Room

Weiss stares at the words on the page, reading them over and over again, while replaying the earlier scene in her head.  _ Could it be? Was it really true? Was her Father that desperate and deplorable? _ With a shake of her head Weiss drops the file onto the table. The door bursts open and the familiar scent of roses fills the air, and the floating scarlet petals spin down towards the ground.

 

“Weiss!It’sBlake!She’sawake!” Ruby’s shouts and without a second to comprehend the short string of connected words Weiss pulled from her chair by a near unstoppable force and simply disappears from the room. The gusts of wind scattering the papers and knocking the folder Weiss had been glaring at upon the ground, face down. A single page with highlighted blue lines running over it, large numbers with a couple of commas easily visible under the light.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> Only posting this quickly to catch this site up with where I'm at with it on other sites. Tuesdays are normal days.
> 
> Hey so for all of those who have favourited, followed, moved into folders, etc. thank you so much for your support! I’m glad that people like how this is going or at least the premise of it. I hope you enjoyed this next installment.
> 
> Now a couple of things;
> 
>  
> 
> I’ll try to address comments, reviews, and so on via PMs or even here in the AN.  
> There is obviously another part coming and with any luck it will be ready by the next Tuesday deadline, if not I apologise but homework and work are my priorities this comes third. If it isn’t out on the 22nd of May it will be by the 29th.  
> Following this I’ll address people specifically if they don’t mind, otherwise I’ll leave it anonymous for those who don’t read comments or reviews. That in mind Reviews and Comments are much appreciated and hopefully this has the critique option on it so I can get better as a writer with your critical feedback and constructive criticisms, but I am also open to ideas as well, please PM if you have any.  
> For anyone who has stuck it out this long, I hope I’ve started to explain why some of the characters act the way they did in the last part, as I had some concerns about that. But please note that if someone still feels they aren’t just PM me, comment, or leave a review and I’ll make sure to try and do a short one-shot about it after this story arc is complete. Anyways please point out grammatical errors and anything that pushes you out of the story. This is all about making quality work and becoming a better writer for me! See ya with next part hopefully soon!
> 
> Also don’t forget to check out other RWBY 3.0 stories posted on Deviantart and Fanfiction, as I’m not the only one who has undertaken the task of trying to bring even more life to Dishwasher1910’s amazing artwork!
> 
> -Six out!


	4. The Fox and The Hound Finale

_R.W.3.Y.: All Fairy Tales End_

_Chapter 1; the Fox and the Hound (Hunt for Watts) [Part III]_

Characters  : Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long, etc.

Ships  : White Rose, Bumblebee

Description : 

RW3Y, the amazing art by Dishwasher1910 who has given me permission to write this, after the Salem Crisis RWBY went a many myriad of directions with their lives, but maintained close ties with each other and their friends. This is their story, their continuation, the end to their fairytale.

 

Disclaimer : 

Hey this art belongs to Dishwasher1910 or Bach Do, thank them for giving me inspiration. RWBY belongs to Roosterteeth and Monty OUm, may he rest in peace. The storylines, and OCs are the only things beside new vehicles that belong to me. Don’t sue me Roosterteeth!

 

“ _there will be no victory in strength._ ” -Salem

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Medical Wing 

The light nearly blinded Blake as she struggled against the weight of her eyelids, not that it was anything compared to the simultaneous weightlessness and heavy fog in her head. Her body felt sluggish, slow to react. She could vaguely feel something pinching in her wrist, like someone simply holding constant pressure there. Then there was the pins and needles shooting up her legs and making them almost completely numb. Blake’s entire body simply felt horribly off, but she couldn’t pin anything down. Her mind was still far too gone to collect the scattered memories and events forcing themselves to the forefront into a cohesive story that tried explaining what was happening.

 

The harsh lights above her were bright and unyielding, like as if she were trying to stare in the sun every time she so much as looked up. There was a constant, incessant beeping pervading her thoughts and forcing her back to the land of the living, keeping her from drifting off with its annoying and unending tone. Each one of its beeps felt like someone stabbing a knife directly into her brain. All of this paled in comparison to her throat; even breathing was a painful chore, it was like someone had decided to use her windpipe as a punching bag and then bear hugged the bag to death instead of hitting it. Blake had tried to choke out some words, but had yet to manage anything more than a pained grunt. Not that it mattered, there appeared to be no one around listening. That is until she hears rapid, beating, and heavy footfalls approaching the room. The white walls seemed to bounce the sound, making it disorienting for the poor overly sensitive Faunus’ hearing.

 

“Blake!” shouts a voice as sweet as chocolate chip cookies before a hand latches tightly onto her own. Blake was about to force herself into a sitting position when a hand lightly pushed her chest. Raising her amber eyes she meets Weiss, her white hair partially disheveled and her clothes creased in an odd pattern, like someone had hugged her for hours straight. But Weiss’ eyes held concern, and that was enough to stop even Blake’s stubborn will.

 

“Take it easy, you’ve been out for nearly eight to ten hours. That monster really took it out of you. Doctors say you’ll be fine though, your Aura should have you up here shortly, and with some painkillers and a day or so of rest you’ll be back to talking as if nothing had ever happened,” Weiss answers the unasked question in Blake’s eyes. Weiss’ hand slowly covered Blake’s still free hand.

 

“We’ve been trying to find Yang, get her to come say hi but we haven’t seen her since I fell asleep last…” Ruby’s voice trails off as the brunette with her crimson dyed locks finally leans into Blake’s view. Blake tries to turn her head and Weiss once again places a hand down, cutting her off.

 

“You need to rest for another hour or so, then the pain medications will kick in and you should be able to get up without any issue,” Weiss orders. Turning her back to Blake she steps out of view. “Now if you’ll excuse me I need to make a call.”

 

Weiss gets outside of the room, the hiss sounding behind her assuring her that her two teammates wouldn’t be able to listen in.

 

“Liath, you and I need to talk now.”

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Fireteam Metal RV point 

The buildings were broken, collapsed in upon each other and a sea of black was slowly encircling them. Metal Three’s assault rifle pulsed burst after burst, each set of rounds finding their marks within another Beowulf, Creeper, or Ursa. The smoke would have made it nearly impossible to see were it not for the Ironclad’s advanced sensor suite. The periodic scans highlighted the soulless beasts as they sprinted forwards. Dust rose from every single puff of their feet as the smoke swirled around them, like shadows in the fast approaching night the Grimm struck at the soldiers wherever and whenever they could. A shout and scuffling, someone scrambling across the ground, and a quickly cut off scream; it was all that could be heard over the din of automatic fire. The pounding of footsteps, the crunch of bone and metal, the smell of blood rising in Metal Three’s nostrils, the taste of a metallic substance and ashy smoke on his tongue. A growl pierces his immediate surroundings and he spins. The rifle is too heavy, it’s long frame unwieldy, so it drops to the dirt below as Metal Three pulls a dagger from his belt.

 

The Grimm closes the distance, its shape is rough and hazey, barely visible through the growing smog of dust, ash, and smoke. An outline, of an Ursa or a Beowulf, the armoured soldier drops low, sweeping his leg out and a sharp yowl of pain is his reward as he scrambles atop the beast only about half a metre taller than he and raises the dagger. A crackle of electricity sounds and a golden-yellow lightning arcs along Metal Three’s arm striking the dagger and igniting its blade with a baleful yellow voltaic glow. The Ironclad armour speeds his downward strike driving the dagger home into the beast’s neck. It howls in answer as the smell of burning fur reaches Metal Three’s nose and the beast spasms. Then a powerful force, like a sack of bricks slams into Metal Three’s side.

 

Even with an 850 pound exoskeletal steel alloyed armour the Grimm managed to toss Metal Three a good five metres. The Ironclad groaning as a popping in his shoulder reaches his ears when he hits ground and skids another two metres. Pain reverberates like a fire across his arm, up his chest, and along his neck. Growling in return Metal Three forces his feet under him. His right hand still clenched in a vice like grip around the glowing dagger. His left arm hangs, useless as he struggles to his knees. The sound of something scraping against the dirt causes him to raise his eyes. The scarlet eyes of the Alpha Beowulf glittering with their orange centres, its maw is covered in some kind of blackish red liquid, slowly dripping over its teeth and falling to the ground, staining the dirt. The sound of crunching smashes through the din as Metal Three looks over, watching Jenkins’ Dust imbued hammer strike home on an Alpha Creeper, black goo splattering the rocks. Beside the hulking soldier another figure in slightly smaller, but no less capable Ironclad armour drives a sword into a standing Ursa’s gut. The clatter of assault rifle fire fades low in the background, punctuated by gleeful roars and bright white flashes and speedily muted screams.

 

The Beowulf struck its claws on the dirt, its eyes still focused on Metal Three. His Ironclad was blaring at him, the HUD showing his body with a red indicator near his shoulder. The power levels on the right were running at two percent, and the last attack that left his dagger charged hadn’t helped matters. Something warm and sticky flowed across his left arm, between the skin and the body suit. His entire body felt like a lead weight as he raised his head to answer the Beowulf’s challenge.

 

Its claws struck across the ground one final time, and it pushed off with its legs. The shadow leaps through the air only for a streak of fiery, golden yellow, light to strike like a meteor. The ground shudders beneath Metal Three and clods of dirt slam into his armour, his forearm protectively covering his helmet encased head. His eyes widen underneath his helmet and his jaw drops as a woman, clad in a tan jacket cut short and swaying with the suddenly calm air. The smoke was gone, blasted away, a massive crater in the ground and a host of black goo all that remains of the Beowulf who’d been charging Metal Three. A crash breaks the silence, as a building takes its final strain and crumbles off to one side. The Grimm turn their blood covered bone masks, eyes letting off a heat like a laser beam as they focus on the woman who had killed the Alpha. The Mistralian Guards and S.R.E.D. soldiers, even the other Ironclads were staring at the woman before them.

 

The muscles on her exposed back were taunt, her arms held at her sides wreathed in flame, two long strands of hair slowly falling back to a normal position. She raises her right arm and the lower half of the limb splits apart. Shining under the light of the dying sun bleeding through the near broken smoke clouds. Then like a physical embodiment of fire the newcomer flashed forward hitting the first Grimm so hard that it skipped across the ground like a flat rock over water. Then the Grimm rushed in like water down the drain. Their claws never seemed to reach their mark, she moved faster than any normal human eye could track. Ducking beneath, leaping over, and striking every Beowulf with a skull shattering fist before a resounding bang fills the air throwing her out of the fray. Her boots crunch in the ground next to Metal Three. She glances down with those gleaming crimson irises.

 

“Don’t just sit there Ironclad. Get on your feet!” Her voice is like punch in the gut, and then she’s off. Heading straight into the group of at least thirty still moving Beowulves. Grunting Metal Three’s vision shifts upwards. His legs groan at him, pain spiking along his body. Everything had a dull ache and his arm felt like a heavy molten lava. Pushing it aside, blocking out everything except the Beowulves, Metal Three moves forward.

 

His feet create divots in the ground, kicking up dirt and dust. The first Grimm is less than a foot from him when it’s ear cocks to the side and its head turns. Metal Three’s fist impacts just above the Grimm’s eye and a loud crack cuts through the air. His armoured hand had stopped, then moved in slightly, and the Grimm was skidding. It’s claws dig in and it slides to a stop about two metres away. Those burning eyes pierce Metal Three’s armour, stripping away the steell, Dust, and muscle. The Ironclad has other ideas though. Switching the glowing yellow dagger to his limp left arm and reaching onto his belt, Metal Three pulls forth a thick sword, just under a metre in length. An explosion resounds to the right of the pair, basking them in the searing light of the fire. The hot embers strike Metal Three’s armour plates, leaving light orange hints upon it. The Beowulf simply shrugs off the embers, it’s fur singed at its tips and a tiny bit of smoke rising from its form.

 

Metal Three takes a step to the right. The Beowulf answers in a step left. The process repeats. The Ironclad takes two forward, the Beowulf two back. The monster’s head cocks to one side, it’s higher left ear twitching. Then without a growl in anger, it turns and scampers off, like a scared dog. The soldier replaces his Gladius to its place on the back of his belt. Then, removes a Dust cartridge from the hilt of his dagger, the weapon losing its lighting and the cartridge taking it. The Ironclad slides the dagger away and puts the cartridge in a pouch.

 

“You did good Ironclad,” comes a forced cheery voice. Metal Three turns, straighten his posture as much as his injured shoulder will allow. “I’m assuming you’re Fireteam Metal? What’s your status soldiers?”

 

“Three dead Ironclads, one downed Turtle, a number of close air support combat craft gone, and at least twenty-five Mistralian and Atlesian casualties that we can confirm, probably more we can’t,” Metal Three answers. Placing a hand onto his shoulder, pain spiking through him at the touch, Metal three shoves with all the force his Dust imbued muscles can manage. A wet pop splits through the air, and even the woman’s face pulls tight. “Honestly, when I asked for reinforcements I didn’t think they’d send a Huntress.”

 

“Well you’ve got one. So what’s the plan?”

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Command Centre 

Liath stares at Weiss, like his commanding officer had suddenly grown a second head. His jaw hangs open and his weight is rested heavily upon the desk next to him.

 

The room is devoid of bustling forms, the clicking of keys, and the flutter of papers. The temperature is low, leaving much to be desired on the heating. Weiss is straight backed and looking at Liath’s hunched shoulders. Ruby is just off to the right, her eyes focused on the glowing red, blue, and green holograms on one of the tables, a lone man watching just as intently, a hand to his ear, while the other flitted from one side of the tablet to the other.

 

“If what you’re saying is true Colonel…”

 

“It is Agent. Where is she?”

 

“I sent her to take down Watts. She was the only Hunter I had left besides you three who hadn’t been deployed. With Yang and Fireteam Metal taking out Typhon I figured we could end this threat two ways. Removing Typhon from the board would eliminate the current situation, but catching Watts would end it permanently.”

 

“Alright then, Ruby are you and Blake combat ready?” Weiss turns and stares at her two old teammates. Blake’s head jerks in a curt nod, and Ruby gives Weiss a glare.

 

“Don’t say it that way. And I was born ready.” Ruby and Blake spin on their heels and the door whooshes behind them.

 

“If you come across her-“

 

“If I find her Liath, she’s going to jail or she dies. I’m done playing games with my loved ones lives.” Weiss’ hand falls onto the hilt of _Myrtenaster_. The Schnee stalks out of the building, her lips pulled into a tight line.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Watts’ Laboratory 

Watts’ eyes track the shadowy black thing lazily floating inside the white walled room behind the glass. Its single glowing red eye drifting across the room. In the corner was its play thing, the corpse of one of the female soldiers Watts had a Beowulf bring into the lab. His work had progressed well. Improving upon the original Grimm designs had been tedious and, at first unsuccessful, but eventually the work bore fruit. Since his initial breakthrough Watts had found it easier each and every time he needed to repurpose an existing Grimm form to his needs. Now though he knew he would not get to see all of the creations within his own mind.

 

 _They_ had called him mad, insane, ridiculously careless to believe that Grimm could be contained, let alone controlled. Now a Geist, improved by his own hands simply waits, hovering in the air like a chess piece in need of command. _They_ would be proved wrong, but yet again this was not his position to see, to experience first hand as his former colleagues were taken by his latest creation. _They_ had done this, brought it upon themselves with their stringent and unmoving views. _They_ stood in the way of science, and now evolution would be their reckoning. There was but one piece of the puzzle left, the final act that would bring these curtains to a close, and time was running out. Yet Watts knew what he wanted, or at least he believed he did, and like all Humans he somehow feared what even his intellect could not comprehend. Running a finger along the glass pane, his gloves squeaking over its surface.

 

“You’ll be nice yes? When it’s all said and done? No more toying with your food?” Watts voice fell upon deaf ears, the Geist not even moving a fraction in response. “I thought as much. Well I hope you take good care of our guests. Grootslang will be coming by shortly… it should be over by then though…”

 

 _Was there truly no other way?_ Watts’ boots clicked down the hallway. _I, the one who mastered Grimm, cannot find another solution? Though I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Science must always come first, and this is simply the last phase of my long in progress experiments. What I know will be the difference between life and death_. A quiet hiss followed and the door shut, clamping together like irons on an old prisoner.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. Defensive Line Psi 

Deep grey smoke billowed from the hollowed out shell of a building, its beautiful blue paint melted, peeled, and charred like the wounds of a burn. Small pockets of flame flapped with the wind their flames reaching for anything they might consume, and finding nothing more. The sky was dark with the ash of destruction and smell of rotting broiled meat. The clatter of sporadic gunfire and growls of beasts drift along the air as Yang steps up to the line, it’s soldiers facing the wrong way.

 

“It blew right through us, 50 cal, rockets… didn’t do a thing,” pipes up a woman in S.R.E.D. field armour. The once gleaming white plates now covered in sooty grime, muddy brown dirt, and black goo intermixed with a deep crimson splattered here and there. Her eyes and her rifle are trained on the towering mass of inky, pulsing, obsidian liquid rolling over the plains. In its wake Grimm of all different shapes and sizes, none capable of boasting anything remotely close to the monstrosity, at least five times the size of a public bus, follow.

 

The rest of the world is slowly drowned out as a roar of thundering engines hovers overhead. The defending troops and their new arrivals turn skywards as an Atlesian Heavy Transport Vehicle (HTV) comes to station directly off the defensive line’s old forward. A massive chunk, chunk, chunk reverberates into the soldiers’ bones and what appears to be a long tube with legs falls to the ground.

 

It smashes into the dirt, the nearby buildings shuddering at its arrival, and the soldier covers her head to avoid the kicked up dust. A Viper pulls up and Metal Three steps down off its boarding ramp, a case about as long as the Ironclad’s height and at least as tall as the man’s forearm. As his feet touch down his grip on the case slips ever so slightly, and his posture is nowhere near as erect as it had been almost nine hours. Jenkins and Alice follow shortly. Yang and the Atlesian soldier, as well as a Mistralian guard walk up.

 

“Where’s the rest of your forces?” Metal Three grunts, rolling his left shoulder, a fiery pain alighting with every single fraction of a movement.

 

“Wasted Ironclad,” answers the woman.

 

“And we will be too, Sir, if we don’t get the Hell out of here.” The Mistralian tries to shove past Jenkins and the hulking, near three metre tall Ironclad drops a hand in his way.

 

“You hit?”

 

“N-no Sir.”

 

“Then listen up! During the Salem Crisis we didn’t have any fancy-schmanzy artillery pieces. We had sticks! Two sticks, and a rock for the whole platoon - We had to share the rock!” Jenkins bellows. The Mistralian instinctively backs away. “Buck up Boy, you are one very lucky soldier. Now man that gun and give us covering fire.”

 

“What are we going to do about that Sir?” the woman points out at the mass of darkness moving like a snail.

 

“You give us coordinated covering fire alongside Defensive Line Omega, we’ll take care of the horde, and leave Typhon for her. Grimm are tough, but they aren’t invincible,” Metal Three slings the huge case onto his back and starts walking. The soldiers and guards give Yang a sidelong glance, her eyes burning crimson like the fires that had nearly consumed the entirety of this village.

 

-S.R.E.D. Defensive Line Omega-

 

The shunk of slotting parts tapers off and Metal Three heft’s the prototype weapon onto his shoulder. A whir of screws and a few tugs and Metal Three feels some slap his back plate. Raising his helmeted head Metal Three levels the flashing HUD reticle with Typhon, the Grimm having made metres worth of progress since their arrival. Yet still the beast towers over the Ironclads. It’s shadow has long since blotted out the shattered moon, the smoke having not reached the defensive line.

 

A heavy clunking rattles the armoured soldiers and then a mechanical whine cracks through the relative silence. The buildings creak in answer, and the soldiers share tight lipped looks.

 

Yang steps up next to the group of Ironclads. Jenkins hefting a launcher of some kind roughly Yang’s height in length. Alice slaps a fresh magazine into her rifle, and the bolt clacks shoving a round into the chamber. The wind pulls at Yang and her jacket flutters, her two strands of hair swaying with the winds current. And with the wind came that stale scent of decay, like roadkill left in the sun for a week.

 

“Everyone ready?” In answer an Ursa roars and thunders forward beating a tempo into the dirt. Without a second’s hesitation Metal Three and the other soldiers open fired.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Forest near Dr. Watts’ Laboratory 

Ruby, Weiss, and Blake, all clad in their respective colours and armed to the teeth step off the Viper dropship. The thrum of its drives quickly fade into the darkness and the three Huntresses are surrounded by nothing but the chirp of crickets and rumbles of the forest.

 

They rush forward, diving through the black between the trees and straight for the coordinates Liath had given them. The sounds of the forest seemed to die as they closed in, until nothing but silence remains. The group of three reaches a single cement piece jutting forth from the ground, a metal door with rivets like old military installations, upon one side of its rectangle.

 

“Back again are we dearies?” Cutting through the still air. Immediately the three Huntresses put their backs together and brandish their weapons. A hiss, then a slithering whisper, and another hiss. The darkness seemed to swallow the light of the broken moon. “I thought you’d have learned from last time… I do not give ground.”

 

A deep, throaty, hiss resonates from the surrounding woods and a black scaled hand reaches out. It’s thick fingers crack the wood as it grips the tree trunk, each one of its fingers topped with a claw as long as Ruby’s index finger and it glints in the minimum of light available. The next hand, then another set of arms, each one wrapped around a tree. The muscles hidden underneath it’s scales flex and a white Grimm mask, blood red markings painting it slides out of the shadows.

 

It’s snake-like mouth parts wide, revealing large pointy fangs and a black hole at its centre. A burst of movement catches in the Huntresses’ eyes as flaps of skin pull up like a Cobra. It’s arms spread wide and with a deep breath it releases a wail like a banshee.

 

The air is pushed away, blasting into the three Huntresses and nearly knocking them from their footing. Ruby’s metal feet dig divots in the dirt, as she slides across the ground. Weiss stabs _Myrtenaster_ anchoring herself as the air catches and grabs at her clothes. Blake summons a clone.

 

Jumping out of the clone, leaving the shell right as the wind grabs it Blake’s foot connects with the clone’s head and she feels the pressure ease off as she slips out of the wail’s range. Her ears twitch and her eyes dart from the Grimm in front of Ruby and Weiss to the beat of wings. Buzzing in a beeline for Blake were a group of Lancers.

 

They bore six, instead of four, wings, each beating faster than her eyes could track. Their exoskeleton’s were a grimy, dirt covered cream, like recently dug up bones, with oily black armour shifting as Blake tracked the abdomen moving up.

 

Faster than a speeding bullet the stinger lances out swiping across Blake’s arm. Pulsing her Aura Blake twists, letting the pulse take the brunt of the hit Blake gasps as the air is forced from her lungs and she feels gravity pulling her back. Her eyes sweep up to a Lancer which had come down from above. Twisting out of the way and popping off another shadow clone Blake rolls coming up with her pistol drawn and firing off.

 

The bang of her bucking handgun is punctuated by the whirl of _Myrtenaster_ as Weiss flits through the vials of Dust. A click resounds and Ruby steps forward, barring the new Grimm access to Weiss. Clanks and thunks fill the air and Ruby twirls pulling _Crescent Rose_ out in its full glory. The scythe’s obsidian blade glints in the minimal light as Ruby takes a step towards the Grimm. It answers by striking forward. Petals begin to swirl on the winds. The world slows. Ruby sees its arms. _Crescent Rose_ spins. The world comes crashing back. The Grimm’s arms locked with _Crescent Rose_ ’s haft, Ruby feeling her muscles strain under the weight. Then out of nowhere her world flips. The dark sky filled with clouds seems serene, but here on the world it was anything but.

 

Weiss raises _Myrtenaster_ , leveling the gleaming red blade with the new Grimm’s chest. A crack fills the air and a blinding light streaks from the tip of the rapier slamming into the Grimm’s armoured chest. A pain filled roar thunders from its lips as it clutches a smoking burning black hole in the centre of its form. Ruby spins off the ground, nothing but a red blur and collection of rose petals. Her swipes catch the Grimm’s arms but the blade stops dead upon them.

 

Its gleaming eyes narrow on Ruby and it grabs the haft of the Huntress’s beloved weapon. Shifting forward without warning _Crescent Rose_ is ripped from Ruby’s grip and the Grimm catches her throat and tosses her aside. The flaps flip out once more.

 

“Poor choices Miss Rose. I had hoped you would know better. Perhaps one of your friends will provide a worthier challenge,” the voice echoes from the Grimm’s mouth. It rushes Weiss, sending the Huntress off balance as she brings her rapier to deflect and parry at increasing speed, her arm shuddering with every hit.

 

Blake turns swapping her pistol for _Gambol_ and swiping through the wing of one of the Lancers as it comes by. A pained clicking is added to the chorus of the fight and it smashes into the ground. The Faunus turns pulling out her pistol and leveling it with another of the Lancers. Pain spears Blake’s arm and a half shout forces past her bruised voice box, making her throat’s ache a sharp stabbing. Glaring at the blood flowing from her torn sleeve and the bone stinger embedded in the ground, Blake rounds on the Lancer. Her sidearm bucks in her hand as bullets land hit after hit, crack after crack upon the Lancer’s bone mask. Clattering at her and twisting its head quickly the Lancer continues its dive, but a bullet finds a mark. Like glass hitting the ground one of the bullets shatters the Lancer’s Grimm mask, and the glow in its eyes dies.

 

Wisps of black acridic smoke fill the air as Blake wages her war. Behind her though, something is brewing. A clang, overshadowed by gunfire and roars, resounds and the metal door creaks on its hinges. Ruby glances at it as a form speeds from the blackness. Pulsing her Semblance Ruby gathers _Crescent Rose_ and brings the weapons haft up, blocking a bone blade milimetres from her face. The new contender is pale and covered in some dark gunky crimson. Its eyes glow like embers of a dying fire and the arm resting on Ruby’s weapon is only bone after the elbow. Its teeth are sharp and covered in wet saliva, its breath smelling of raw meat and poor flossing. It lets loose a wet spit flinging roar, the burning glow of its eyes burning brighter as it does so. Some of the water strikes Ruby’s face and on reflex she shoves the beast away, slapping at her face to get the liquid off. As she regains her composure Ruby stares at the new thing’s face. It has to be a Grimm, but it has no easily discernible Grimm mask. Its jaw is held on by a few fleshy strings that look close to coming apart, and its entire nose is missing. Its left arm is clutching tightly at a long metal thing that the darkness shrouds, while its right ends in a gleaming pointed cream coloured spike of bone. Its chest splits apart, the ribs acting like a second set of teeth for a mouth in its gut, a single fiery red eye gazing out upon the world from within the bloody, rotting mass of flesh.

 

Ruby struts forward spinning _Crescent Rose_ around her. Creating a blender. The Grimm charged. Its eyes flitted as fast as Ruby moved, and it ducked the blade time after time, working its corpse into Ruby’s range. Coming up nearly atop the reaper it gurgles in delight before a schink cuts the din. Slowly the Grimm’s broken head, blood trailing from its burning eyes, peers downward at the semi collapsed Scythe. The blade had been behind it, or at least that’s what the Geist had thought. Then smoke pours from the orifices of the corpse and the falls in two, the torso one way, and the legs the other.

 

Weiss shouts as her footing is pushed out from under her and she slides over the ground. Turning her eyes with an icy focus and narrowed, scrunched, brows. A whir slips through the air and Weiss steps forward, lunging out and slamming her blade into the ground. The Grimm releases a hiss its arms crossing over its chest, Its head ducking down like a turtle, and its tail moving between the blade and itself. Slowly one of the red eyes peaks out seeing nothing had happened. Its arms move, the ground erupts. Bursting forth like the break of a volcano an icy wall as sharp as an axe blade slices up through the air. The Grimm howls in pain. Weiss gasps and her knees shudder, stabbing _Myrtenaster_ into the ground the Huntress keeps her footing, crystalline eyes locked on the smoking tail before her.

 

Blake swipes downward and the Lancer’s head tumbles across the ground, quickly smoking and disappearing into thin air. Turning she examines the clearing. Its lovely field of grasses and wildflowers had been torn up, ripped apart, and burned, frozen, os sliced out of existence. It was like a group of bandits had decided the forest did not deserve its serene peace, and ended it. The fresh bloom of honey smelling flowers no longer wafted on the breeze, instead only ashy smoke. Ruby was staring at a mass of pale and red that Blake couldn’t make out, and Weiss was holding herself up on her side of the ice wall. Ruby glances at her teammates and heads for the door, the other two Huntresses quickly follow her.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. Defensive Line Omega 

Metal Three’s fist collides with another Creeper’s head, the skull smashing inwards and leaving his gauntlet covered even further in the black gooey substance within these Grimm. Pulling his right hand and stabalising the barrel of the long rail gun attached to his shoulder Metal Three kneels and braces his left arm on his leg.

 

“Rail Gun firing in three… two… one… Mark!” The barrel splits and blue lightning curls along the barrel, a high pitched whine emanating from the whiring motor before Metal Three’s hearing is cut out and a bang as loud as an engine revving pierces the melodic din of the firefight around him. The large round spins through the air, cutting a swath through the wind itself. It’s heavy mass strikes Typhon in the side of its forward mass causing the black goo to splash outwards. Then the core of the round burns and ignites. An explosion rips through Typhons oily mass of liquid like flesh. A pressure wave throws the splatter of sludge into the air, dousing some of the nearby Grimm. “Reloading!”

 

Jenkins steps up and follows the rail guns round up with a rocket. Expanding the whole in Typhon’s side as fire at five hundred Kelvin. A roar of anguish and pain erupts from the beast’s blood covered teeth. A golden blur shoots past the two Ironclads and an inferno of a woman hurtles into the whole.

 

Yang slams her fist into Typhon’s exposed supports, the glasslike structures of ooze not melting of their own volition. The Huntress’ presence within Typhon causes the massive Grimm to shudder and roar, the bellow echoing and bouncing off the rooms serving to nearly deafen Yang. Biting her lip tightly so that blood leaks out from beneath her teeth Yang twists and slams her fist into another of the supports. Once more the walls of the beast’s insides shake, shudder, and contract quickly and without warning. Its howl blasting like a pressure wave. The light within the darkness was starting to fade and Yang through her arms to her side, the glowing orange orb on her mechanical arm pulsing before a jet of flame pours from its split pieces and Yang jumps through the closing whole.

 

The Huntress roles as she hits the ground turning and smashing a Beowulf unlucky enough to have tried to get the jump on her. _Celica_ buck against her arm as a Creeper tries to take advantage of its comrades demise. Black smoke peels off of Yang’s torn jacket and one of her long strands of hair is missing roughly half its length. Her crimson eyes gave off heat and her hair seemed to be wreathed in flames.

 

Pumping her legs and rushing out of the thinning horde directly beneath Typhon Yang skids to a halt next to Metal Three. Her eyes lock with the faltering Ironclad’s near black covered armour. A bright scarlet leaked out from between the plates on his left arm. The smoke blocked vision with the defensive line behind them, keeping the soldiers out of Typhon’s, and their own sight.

 

“What happened? I thought my time was supposed to be larger, not smaller?” Yang turns and watches as the black goo stitches itself back together on Typhon’s exposed side.

 

“We were wrong… It’s… adjusting to our attacks,” Metal Three grunts as he struggles out of a kneeling position, his legs trembling. Turning on a dime and drawing a pistol off his belt the Ironclad puts four rounds into the Ursa Minor that had snuck up on them. Yang takes the second to bash in the head of yet another Creeper. “We’ll… need the artillery cannons after all.”

 

Jenkins spins pulling a Dust imbued hammer out of the ground and swinging the weapon like a bat he takes out another group of Beowulves, the beasts trying to force their way into the Ironclad’s circle.

 

“Jenkins. Call for artillery on Typhon. We’re out of options.” crackle the man’s comms. A heavy sigh escapes Jenkins’ lips and he blinks his eyes twice.

 

“This is Metal Four to Artillery batteries Alpha and Omega. Do you copy? I repeat Metal Four to Artillery Batteries Alpha and Omega. Do you copy?”

 

“This Alpha we read.”

 

“Omega, loud and clear Metal Four.”

 

“Priority Target Grimm, classification Typhon. Incendiary or Ice rounds cleared for use. Repeat Priority Target Grimm, classification Typhon. Cleared for use of incendiary and ice Dust rounds. Fire at will,” Jenkins grunts as something impacts his back and he catches himself with a step forward. Turning his body and stabbing the blades pommel of his hammer into the Ursa. Jenkins muscles strain and his Ironclad creaks as the Ursa’s weight lifts over his shoulders before he arcs downward. The Ursa plummets into the ground with a massive cloud of dust rising. Jenkins twists the haft of his hammer and the Ursa jerks before it goes limp and smoke billows off its body.

 

Metal Three steps forward, his sidearm kicking back in his hand. Jenkins hears the roar at the last second and jerks to the left as a Creeper takes five rounds to the chest and crashes into the ground it’s body already disintegrating.

 

“We need to be ready, pound it once more after Alpha and Omega hit it!” Metal Three holsters his pistol and wraps an arm around Jenkins.

 

Their bodies were aching with dull and sharp pains, their eyes were losing the fight to stay under the weight of their kids. The arms were numb and had pins and needles at the same time. Something lifts Jenkins from the other side and he turns, seeing Alice on his opposite.

 

“Come on boys. We ain’t done yet. If that Huntress is still in the game then sure as Hell better be.” With Alice and Metal Three the pair manages to get Jenkins onto his feet. A crack like sky itself was breaking apart tears through the smoke and a line of pure white streaks against the black.

 

A sphere as large as Bullhead airship expands from the Grimm’s back and its oil skin bubbles before ripping apart and clinging over the ground covering the surrounding area in black. A blood curling pained roar breaks out from Typhon's massive set of jaws. Then another crack. Another sphere. An explosion of oil coloured goo. Below the massive beast it was like being hit with a tidal wave. The black consumed three Ironclads they shift their bodies to keep their weight balanced.

 

A hungry growl catches them as they step clear and they pull weapons. A triad of black and stark white with bloody red accents and dripping maws greets them. Their eyes track up as a yellow streak shoots into Typhon.

 

“We hold here Metal. Nothing in. Nothing out.” The soldiers raise their weapons and train the on the horde. The wait didn’t last, and with a single bellow the Grimm thindered forward.

 

-Inside Typhon-

 

Yang’s feet squished in the black goo. The inside was almost pitch black. Were it not for glow of the moonlight through the massive rents in Typhon’s skin the yellow clad Huntress wouldn’t be able to see at all.

 

The deeper she goes the less light she has, until a faint, ethereal, red glow lights the odd corridor like structure. Turning the corner of the wet, but solid liquid Yang’s eyes alight upon the glows source.

 

A bulging red sphere, much like the Grimm Seers Salem used is connected to two spirals of black goo. The walls are lined with glowing ovular, people sized pods, and their light shifts every once in a while. Approaching the ovals with _Celica_ armed and her new arm split apart, the barrel glowing a fiery orange. Yang’s eyes widen as she catches sight of the shifting body within the pod.

 

It was humanoid, the curves suggested a human woman, and hair was just beginning to sprout upon the body’s head. It’s eyes moved this way and that breath it’s shut lids. Yang steps back, the hair on the back of her neck rising. Acting without thought Yang ducks as a fist slams into the black wall, smashing into it, its entire first submerged in the wall. Spinning on the ball of her foot Yang plants _Celica_ into the thing’s stomach. Like the sound of a body on a slipping slide the creature slides across the now juggling floor.

 

Yang stares at the monster facing her. Just like as it had with Blake, and Ruby, Yang was left with a gaping jaw at a Grimm of herself. It’s hair was black and oily, stuck to her scalp and shifting minimally as it cocks it’s head at Yang. Those piercing gleaming red eyes lock with Yang’s flashing crimson. It lacks lips, it’s teeth much like Typhon’s itself, sit on the edges of its peculiar cringy smile, at the centre a set of large glimmering fangs each about the size of Yang’s pinky. The beast’s head has slight growths of bone cutting through its hair. The muscles of its body are sharp, defined, but spines of white bone stick from the shoulders, their pointed ends reflecting some of the red light giving them a red sheen. Its skin is white, cracks of black running over it. A large bowed white plate covers its chest and white ribs stick out from its sides. Its arms end in black blobby mess, as bone begins to slide out of the black into a form reminiscent of _Celica_. Its other arm sports a long triangular shoes bone ending in a needle like point.

 

“A… G… A… I… N…?” It’s croaky, dry voice rasps. “G… L… A… D… L… Y…”

 

Its movements are precise, machine like, exact copies of the sets Yang had used on the beast in her first fight. Swinging its left arm and bringing its legs to bear it forces Yang back, putting the brawler on the defensive.

 

A sudden flash of red. Yang’s metal arm goes next to her head as the beast’s blade arm connects. Sparks flicker in the air. Yang strains against it. The beast stumbles and Yang presses her advantage. The Grimm monstrosity was ready.

 

Left, right, left, right, right, left; leg, leg, right, left, left, leg, leg, right, leg, left. The patterns repeat, varying like the chords of a symphony. The beat of bone on metal, fist on hardened goo, and the quickening tempo of blows.

 

The room rumbles and the monstrosity sinks into the ground up to its ankles. Then the chamber shudders sending an unprepared Yang floundering and her left hand hitting the wall, and sinking in.

 

-Outside Typhon-

 

Metal Three drops the spent pistol. A shink follows and a flash of moonlight flares. His short sword swipes clean through the Ursa’s jaw. In answer to his strike Metal Three feels a crushing weight slam into his still injured shoulder. A crunch of plate and a sharp, piercing pain stabs through the armour and a sickening wet snap resounds, Metal Three shouting and cursing behind the scarlet liquid leaking from between his teeth and his lips. A much darker crimson streams heavily from the mangled mess of flesh and metal of his shoulder. His knee buckles and Metal Three hits the ground, the reticle of his armour glowing a brilliant green while the monitor flashes bright red warnings, a line moving erratically alongside the flashing shoulder. Growling Metal Three buries his sword into the Ursa’s gut and grabs the barrel still connected to his right shoulder. Blue energy arcs along the length of the weapon followed by a massive crack sending the top quarter of the large Grimm flying off into the distance. Blinking away the displays and snapping them up to the weapon screen he glares at the disengage control.

 

Dust rises from the ground as the Rail Gun falls from Metal Three’s shoulder and the Ironclad forces himself to his feet, his entire body burning with sharp fiery and unending pain in all of his nerve endings. Grabbing the handle of his sword a wet clap follows and Metal Three brandishes the sword against the line of Grimm.

 

“Fireteam Metal! We die here, we take every single one of these Grimm with us!”

 

“Affirmative!” The three Ironclads, rush forward colliding with the line of Grimm. Metal Three swipes his short sword through a Beowulf’s arm, buries the blade into a Creeper’s Grimm mask, brings his knee into the shoulder of a Berringle. Turning his injured arm away the sword blade is ripped from the Creeper’s head and Metal Three follows up slamming the the blade into the Berringle’s neck and twisting it home. Kicking the smoking corpse off his blade Metal Three strides forward striking out with every step as uncountable swathes of Grimm try to overwhelm the three soldiers.

 

Jenkins’ hammer smashes through a Boarbatusk, its bone armour shattering and flying like fragments into the surrounding beast. A Creep latches its jaws onto the Ironclad’s shin and a pain sliced up Jenkins’ leg. The soldier flings his leg up, sending the Creep flying up before he spun and swung his hammer into it like a baseball player. The Creep was smoking in the air as its corpse crashing into a Griffon sending them both tumbling.

 

Alice swings her longsword, cleaving a Beowulf in half. The blades sings a song of death as she swipes through Grimm after Grimm. Then it happens. A Lancer sweeps downward its wings buzzing a harmonic tone as a bone spike whistles through the air. The bone catches Alice in the gut crimson droplets fly through the air as Alice uses the momentum to bring herself around and throw her sword. The blade sings through the air and catches the Lancer in the neck, separating the two pieces of its body.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Dr. Watts’ Laboratory 

The air was still. Nothing dared break the silence within. The place reeked of death, or pain, it lingered in the walls and along the floor. Electricity seemed to fill the air with every step the three Huntresses took deeper into the labs. Weiss’ eyes dart from one doorway to the next, her knuckles white on _Myrtenaster_ ’s grip. Blake’s ears fluttered atop her head with every sound. Ruby, _Crescent Rose_ at the ready, glared ahead of her.

 

The group had yet to encounter since entering the lab. But the flickering lights, the open doors, the blackish red pools were stuck to the off white panelled metal on the ground in the different rooms. A sign saying “medical suite” appeared and the Huntresses followed the directions.

 

The doors wooshed and all three women stop dead. Their jaws drop and the eyes widen as they stare.

 

Kingdom of Mistral S.R.E.D. Defensive Line Omega, within Typhon 

A grunt forces itself past Yang’s lips as the Grim copy’s attack connects and something shifts under Yang’s skin. Yang groans further, doubling over and holding her left arm across her stomach. Her cheek was slightly purple and black, her right eye was swollen shut and a red trail ran out of the corner of her mouth. A slight movement of her thumb and Yang’s right arm splits apart. Yang tucks her legs rolling across the floor as the copy punches downwards. Springing to her feet and leveling a kick into the copy’s side. A Yang feels her boot shift something within the copy and its jaws part in a pained howl which echoes through the chamber.

 

The copy steps back, favouring one leg and putting its left hand to its side. The blade of its right arm held out, pointed at Yang’s heart. The copy’s version of _Celica_ begins to fade back into a black goo knitting itself through the torso of the copy, its eyes flicking between Yang and whatever it was do- _Its standing straighter!_ Throwing out two rounds from _Celica_ the copy is forced back to the wall and pushes off her leg.

 

The air pulls at Yang as she impacts the copy sending it rebounding off the wall. The monstrosity hits the floor, bouncing back up like an wobbler toy, right into Yang’s waiting hand.

 

The Huntress catches the copy’s skull in her hands. Yang flexes the muscles in her arms and they go tight as cords. Tension builds in her hands and she starts to squeeze. The monster starts belting out combos. Slamming punch after punch. Yang glows a wreath of flame, her twin strands lighting ablaze with each hit. It roars as Yang jabs her thumbs into its soft squishy eyes. Then something shifts under Yang’s palms, and a sickening crack followed by a wet thawck fills the air and black goo bursts into Yang’s hands.

 

Her crimson eyes didn’t leave the husk as its knees gave out and fell and was absorbed into the floor. Noticing something moving in the other ovals Yang flicks her eyes to the glowing red Seer like orb at the centre of the chamber. Without hesitation Yang plunges her right arm into the orb’s bubble like surface and grasps one of its supports with her left hand.

 

The chamber’s walls contract and shudder as a heavy pained growl reverberates through the walls. Its noise forces Yang to clench her eyes shut before the scream tapers off. Something bursts off to Yang’s right. A pop to her left. Glancing up, like she knew Typhon could see her standing there.

 

“This is for my sister you Bastard!” Yang activates the flamethrower on her right arm and a heat wave expands from the bubble. The orb’s spherical shape distorts and warps before it explodes outwards dousing the chamber in flames. Yang watches, a clear film covering her arm, as the two copies of her collapsed lifeless to the ground. The walls begin to melt and goo puddles at Yang’s boots. Yang sprints out of the chamber.

 

-Outside Typhon-

 

Metal Three’s broken sword impales a final Beowulf before his knees give out. The ground embraces him and he feels some kind of pressure on his chest. The world is dark, eating away at his vision, but frankly he doesn’t care all that much. Something sticky warm flows across his body, between the bodysuit and his skin. It’s both irritating, skin crawling, and soothing, like someone starting to wrap a blanket around you.

 

Jenkins groans, his weight is shifted onto his hammer, sinking into the ooze covered ground slowly evaporating into black smoke. The Grimm were suddenly gone, keeling over and collapsing, disappearing. The smoke still blotted out most of the moon’s light, but a breeze of air, free from the stenches of sweat, blood, and Dust smacked the Ironclad’s nostrils even through the suit’s filters. His hand struggles to grasp the release to his helmet, his fingers to numb and thick feeling. As the catch the handle a hiss escapes and the large plated helmet collapses onto the ground, sinking into the ooze slightly. The air isn’t recycled, doesn’t smell of his own captured sweat. Glancing over at the other standing Ironclad, their armour as black and ash covered as his own no doubt, sniffing the air and running an ungloved hand through her hair, its ponytail long since gone and the strands crinkled all over the place. Her eyes hover though to her right, there wasn’t anyone standing there.

 

Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Main Debriefing Room, 3 days later 

Winter’s hologram shimmered and repeated as it tried to track her movements. The room was sparsely populated, the four Huntresses of Team RWBY, two members of Fireteam Metal, and Liath are sitting there. The air conditioning is up to full, blasting icy winds into the room as the heat of the day strikes the windows from the main operations centre directly in front of them, staff bustling about. Outside Vipers, Turtles, and other variety of aircraft circulate through, heading to and from the still smoking remains on the horizon. Body bags filled a good portion of the base’s main airfield though all waiting to be cycled off for transport. A good number of the parked aircraft were nearly torn apart, wings missing, engine blocks half melted, and cockpit windows shattered.

 

“By all standards Liath, what was managed was a successful… the loss of life regrettable, but a victory nonetheless. How does the base stand at this moment?” Winter’s head double tracks as it turns to Liath.

 

“Running at thirty-two percent efficiency. We lost seventy-eight percent of all ground forces and have another twenty-two percent wounded in some capacity. Five Hunters have failed to report in, including Nava. Aircraft fleet is operating at roughly forty-five percent another ten percent grounded until repairs are finished. Heavy weapons are still functioning at full effect. Overall the base is technically in the yellow, but we’re still capable of handling small scale situations. With Colonel Schnee’s permission I’d like to have the Edelweiss stationed overhead while we resupply and await more troops.”

 

“Permission granted Agent,” Weiss murmurs her eyes focused on the body bags on the airfield. “I must attend to matters in Atlas anyway, so it would probably be best to have the _Edelweiss_ somewhere where I know the Agent in charge.”

 

“Huntress Xiao Long, if you could go over how you defeated Typhon?”

 

“It appears the Grimm as a Seer like orb in its centre, the reason it was capable of absorbing most of our attacks was that at its smaller size it could most likely shift its orb to avoid damage, and at larger sizes it simply had too much mass. The orb also appeared to control the Grimm and copies that Typhon creates, probably why it needs to consume so much matter.” Yang leans back and kicks her feet up onto the table. She’s in a set of S.R.E.D. workout clothes, her normal attire being examined by the on site S.R.E.D. eggheads.

 

“What did you find Agent Rose?” Ruby’s head jerks back to the hologram, away from the spot on the wall.

 

“I… apologise, what was the question?” Winter’s lips turn downwards ever to slightly and her eyebrow lowers.

 

“What did you find within Dr. Watts’ Laboratory Agent Rose?” Her voice is tight, but calm.

 

“Watts is dead. His organs were scrambled and his brain missing. We wanted to access his on site files but decided against it and let tech support handle it. From the looks of it though Watts wasn’t alone down there.”

 

“Fireteam Metal report?”Ruby’s eyes hyper focus Weiss at the mention of the Ironclads and Weiss turns away, keeping her face out of Ruby’s view as much as possible.

 

“All Grimm as a part of the incursion have been eliminated or sent packing by remaining coordination between S.R.E.D. and Mistrailian Guards. What forces remain in the field are stretched thin looking for any sign of this mystery creature that killed Dr. Watts, but we haven’t found anything yet.”

 

“Alright. Fireteam Metal, as soon as Metal Three is good to move I’m transferring you to the Edelweiss. You’ll be our go to strike team while look for this new creature. Liath you have command of the FOB once more. With any luck Nava will pop her head above ground soon and we can take her into custody for trial against my father and his undermining of the Atlesian and Vytal Councils. You’re dismissed.”

 

Kingdom of Mistral, Forests 

She doesn’t remember her name, she doesn’t remember what it meant to live, she doesn’t remember a time when her heartbeat didn’t burden her chest with pain, she doesn’t remember a time when she had ever been this hungry. What she did remember was the nice man who told her to eat of him, to embrace her nature, that it would save her. Her stomach roars angrily and her legs shudder before she collapses into a tree.

 

“Massster?” a voice questions from the dark, and yet it fills part of the void in her chest. A long black neck topped in a white mask with red designs flowing along it looks down at her. Just after the head a large clawed paw reaches out and a black and white wolf like creature, a large crack running along the brow ridge of its mask, peaks a her and cocks its head. “I hope Masssster wassss right in making you… I hope we are enough.”

 

The wolf moves forward and brushes its snout against her arm. Then turning it offers its back.

 

“Climb on, it wisssshesss to help. We have a long journey ahead.”

 

_A/N:_

_Alright finally! The ten thousand word story is finally complete coming in at roughly 36,039 words. Damn… That was a lot of writing. I hope you have enjoyed this arc and yes there will be more. This is just the first of at least three planned stories at the moment. In the interim between this arc and the next I will be writing some shorter pieces, no longer than 5,000-10,000 words fleshing out more of this world I have built based on Dishwasher’s RWBY 3.0 works. Thanks for the continued support and probably see you again with another chapter after finals and work!_

 

_Also what do you think of Fireteam Metal? I only have one more story currently planned for them, it’s part of the interim, but if people want to see them return just tell me in the comments, reviews, or PMs. If you don’t want any specific characters to make a large return also let me know and I’ll see about doing that. Anyways have a wonderful weekend, sorry this is two days late!_

 

_-Six out!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> Alright finally! The ten thousand word story is finally complete coming in at roughly 36,039 words. Damn… That was a lot of writing. I hope you have enjoyed this arc and yes there will be more. This is just the first of at least three planned stories at the moment. In the interim between this arc and the next I will be writing some shorter pieces, no longer than 5,000-10,000 words fleshing out more of this world I have built based on Dishwasher’s RWBY 3.0 works. Thanks for the continued support and probably see you again with another chapter after finals and work!
> 
>  
> 
> Also what do you think of Fireteam Metal? I only have one more story currently planned for them, it’s part of the interim, but if people want to see them return just tell me in the comments, reviews, or PMs. If you don’t want any specific characters to make a large return also let me know and I’ll see about doing that. Anyways have a wonderful weekend, sorry this is two days late!
> 
>  
> 
> -Six out!


End file.
